There have been rumours for quite some time, rumours that the City of Brussels/Laeken is planning a new school close to our EEB4 school.
On Friday 13th February 2015, the City finally invited all residents and interested parties to a presentation of this new school project. The aim was to present the project and discuss possible issues with the local population. The City of Brussels was represented by the échevins de l’instruction publique, Mrs Faouzia Hariche, the échevin du logement, Mr Mohamed Ouriaghli, the designated architect office and mobility experts. The échevin de la mobilité, Mrs Els Ampe, could not attend this meeting.
As presented, the project involves a Nursery and Primary school for about 670 children, as well as 75 social housing units. It will be located in a ‘green’ zone, initially owned by the Domaine Royal and donated to the City so as to enable the implementation of public and social facilities. This zone lies in between the rue Medori, rue des Horticulteurs and the rue du Mont Saint-Alban. There will be only one main access to the new site which is on rue des Horticulteurs.
For the APEEE, (represented at the meeting by Christian Drantmann), the predominant concern was to establish if and what kind of impact this new project might have on our school. A main concern was that the traffic flow and traffic congestion might increase. The presentation suggested that the main traffic flow will be directed towards the boulevard de Bockstael and will only have a minimal impact on the rue de Medori and the Drève Ste-Anne. To that end, the City will create a direct access for cars to the boulevard de Bockstael, coming from the rue des Horticuleurs. And it has also to be noted that the main traffic, generated by this new school, is projected to only take place after 8.00am, as Belgian schools start lessons slightly later than the EEB4.
And last but not least, it has to be recalled that this project has not yet been finalised. The City will need to take into consideration the many objections and complaints by the local residents, and it is therefore not clear when this new school will be finalised and opened. The local residents have strongly opposed this projects in its current presentation, and it is most likely that further adjustments will be necessary.
The APEEE will closely follow up on this new project.
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