Erasmus Gardens to provide 1,300 new homes in Anderlecht

A new housing development with 1,300 homes has been approved in the Brussels commune of Anderlecht. The project officially launches next week, when construction is scheduled to start on farmland located along Avenue Henri Simonet, at the end of the metro line at Erasmus, writes Brusselnieuws.

With 1,300 new homes, Erasmus Gardens is quite possibly the largest new building construction project in Brussels. The plans have been in the pipeline for several years, but were delayed by controversy due to the scarcity of open space in the area. But the fact that the area is marked as residential and is located in close proximity to the metro proved to be strong arguments in favour of the project.

Developers BPI and Belfius Immo add that the project is necessary to accommodate increasing population growth in the area. "The Planning Bureau estimates that the population of Brussels will increase by as many as 170,000 residents by 2020,” say the promoters. "Erasmus Gardens provides a concrete solution."

The project kicks off on 8 March with a symbolic tree planting ceremony attended by minister-president of the Brussels-Capital Region Rudi Vervoort and Anderlecht mayor Eric Tomas.