During National Housing Week, AGORA announced at a reception hosted by the SNL that the Chamber of Crafts had been selected as the winner of the call for expressions of interest regarding employee housing in the Belvie neighborhood of Belval. The announcement was made in the presence of Claude Meisch, Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning.
An entire development dedicated to affordable housing
The project will consist of 37 affordable rental units intended for employees of Luxembourg-based craft businesses. For AGORA, this marks a first: the entire Lot 15 in Belvie is reserved for employee housing.
The development consists of two buildings, one with six stories and the other with five, with a gross floor area of 4,098 m². Of this, 3,851 m² will be dedicated to affordable housing and 247 m² to retail and services on the ground floor. The project also includes 39 parking spaces grouped together in a shared Mobility Hub.
An initiative led by the Chamber of Crafts
The acquisition and management of the housing units will be handled by the future Chambre des Métiers Services S.à r.l.-S.I.S., a social impact company created at the initiative of the Chambre des Métiers. Its mission will be to develop, acquire, own, and manage affordable housing for employees in the skilled trades sector.
According to the Chamber of Crafts, access to housing has become a major challenge for craft businesses, particularly when it comes to attracting and retaining employees. A preliminary survey indicates a potential need for 330 housing units, including about 100 in the canton of Esch-sur-Alzette.
“The acquisition of these 37 housing units is much more than just a real estate transaction. It marks the launch of a new resource to support Luxembourg’s skilled trades sector,” said Tom Wirion, executive director of the Chamber of Crafts.
A Reproducible Model
AGORA will design and construct the buildings before selling them off-plan to the project’s development entity. This deliberately simple arrangement is designed to be replicated on other lots, both in Belvie and Metzeschmelz.
“Setting aside an entire Belvie development for employee housing is a major step forward for AGORA. We’re making the employer a key player in affordable housing, with a simple structure and a clear legal framework,” emphasized Jorge Teixeira, Head of Development and Marketing
Belvie, a Connected Neighborhood
Belvie, the final phase of the Belval redevelopment project, will cover 8.37 hectares and ultimately include 684 housing units. More than half of the site will be dedicated to public spaces, while residential parking will be consolidated into two Mobility Hubs.
Future residents of Lot 15 will be close to the future tram terminal, the Belval-Lycée train station, the University of Luxembourg, neighborhood schools, and Belval Plaza.
This initiative is part of the national program for employee housing, which enables employers to actively contribute to the supply of affordable housing in Luxembourg.
Please find the press release here.
