A first permit application was submitted in 2023, but was canceled following an appeal to the Council of State, in particular for the northern part of the Samaya project, we will come back to this. If the announcement of this new permit request is enough to rejoice some, among the residents of the bottom of Bondry, just behind the site, it’s a cold shower. Density, privacy and mobility are the black points noted by the local residents we met.
An alarming density
With its 1,038 housing units for 11 hectares, the Samaya project is around 95 housing units per hectare, where the territorial development plan recommends a minimum density of 40 housing units/ha. Which worries local residents on this first point. “I am very concerned, it is very intensive, Marie-Christine explains straight away. It saddens me, we already have two cars per house and the streets are already saturated. There is already enough population in Limelette. But here, we become the suburbs of Brussels.” She also tells us that residents of the surrounding streets and enclosures (those on Avenue Albert 1er) are mobilizing against the project.
A mega real estate project is coming to fruition in Walloon Brabant, near Ottignies station
His neighbor, Alain, shares the concerns. “It’s scary. The project is disproportionate: the buildings are too big for the neighborhood (we are talking about an 11-story tower). We should rather get closer to the recommended 40 housing units per hectare.” As it stands, the two neighbors are against it.100%” such constructions, but do not close the door to a more reasonable project with the construction of houses, for example.
mobility, “a disaster”
Alain also mentions mobility, another dark point of the project. “It’s catastrophic. To access the neighborhood, there is only one entrance and one exit… and the worst thing is that they plan to close the level crossing.” Thus, the entire passage will only be from avenue de Masaya and via avenue Albert 1er (crossroads side with rue de l’Europe). And with the closure of the level crossing, all mobility will be transferred to the two crossroads and it will be necessary to go around via Avenue Des Droits de l’Homme and then via Avenue des Combattants to access the center of Ottignies. “Limelette will be completely isolated from the center of Ottignies and during rush hours, everything will be blocked. We’re talking about more than 2,000 residents and their cars.”announces Nicole, who had already filed the first appeal for the northern part of Samaya last year. If the developer explains that the neighborhood will promote soft mobility via its proximity to the station, Nicole does not believe it, just like her neighbors. And the project only provides for a large parking lot and one space per accommodation. This raises fears of congestion in the surrounding streets, avenues and enclosures which are already saturated.
“They will have a direct view of our plates”
In addition to mobility, another problem arises for Nicole and the inhabitants of Clos Marcel Ancion: “the shade is too much.” Richard and Jacqueline are particularly concerned about the height of the apartments, “stuck behind the embankment and the railway”. “They will have a direct view of our plates.” Finally, the question of flooding is also raised by a resident: “The more trees we cut, the more the water advances.”
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