Plans for mega-brothel in Schaerbeek scrapped

Plans to construct a giant brothel complex on the Rue d'Aerschot, the red-light district by Brussels' North Station, have been scrapped by its promoter.

The plan was to build a complex of housing in the street (pictured) in what is at present a run-down area. The ground floor would have featured a row of shop-windows in which prostitutes would display themselves. The project was based on the Villa Tinto complex in the traditional red light district of Antwerp, and was designed by Pierre Blondel Architects.

In March, a committee of Schaerbeek municipal council delivered a negative advice on the project, claiming it would lead to an increase of prostitution in the area. Now, according to Blondel, developer Franky De Coninck, whose idea the complex was, has decided the chances of the project coming to fruition are slim to nil. The building project will go ahead substantially unaltered, Blondel told La Capitale newspaper, with 4,000 square metres of apartments on the upper levels of what used to be a car wash. The ground level, however, will now be occupied by commercial premises instead of display windows.

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