Transfer of land clears the way for affordable student accommodation on Diepenbeek campus

In time, POM Limburg aims to build around four hundred student rooms on the campus in several phases, in order to strengthen student life on the campus. “This will be done in phases, in consultation with the municipality of Diepenbeek and in collaboration with the knowledge institutions,” states Tom Vandeput, deputy for Economy and chairman of POM Limburg. “The university and the colleges previously indicated that it was not possible for them to build these student rooms within the framework of a Flemish subsidy. Therefore, POM Limburg will now take care of this realisation. The intention is to create so-called ‘basic student rooms’ here: affordable rooms with basic amenities.”

Collaboration with the private sector
“We want to realise those student rooms together with the private sector, just as we have already done in other projects. One of the basic principles of POM Limburg is that we do not want to compete with the private sector using public funds in any way. Just as we always give LRM priority for return-driven investments, for example at the Health Campus. As an economic director, POM Limburg must primarily proceed from the social added value that such an ecosystem creates for Limburg,” explains Noël Slangen, Managing Director of POM Limburg.

“Currently, around 200 million is being invested by the various partners on the Limburg DC campus in Diepenbeek. Any proceeds from land transactions will be fully reinvested on the campus. That was also stipulated in the provincial council's decision, says Tom Vandeput.

Green campus and further development
“We want to transform the campus into a green and liveable campus with slow-traffic connections, modelled on the American style. The central car park, purchased by the province and now transferred, will make way for a green heart. To absorb the parking pressure, NV Limburg DC, a subsidiary of POM Limburg which is managed together with the knowledge institutions and the municipality of Diepenbeek, has already successfully realised two multi-storey car parks on the campus, good for 840 spaces,” states Slangen.

“The transfer is also important for the further development of the Health Campus, for which a business district was provided in the master plan. The Construction Campus will also be realised on the land that is now being transferred,” says Tom Vandeput. “POM Limburg is also responsible for the realisation of the infrastructure and the striking network of paths through nature, which was realised with the support of VLAIO. That nature is also being upgraded today in collaboration with Natuurpunt.”

Stronger foundation for future investment
The transfer is essential to be able to apply for grants from higher levels of government in the future, in particular European ERDF funds. “Because of state aid rules, we are obliged to use private funds in the form of bank loans for our campus investments. POM Limburg has not asked the provincial administration for guarantees for this, as usually happens in other provinces. Thanks to this transfer, POM Limburg increases its creditworthiness. That seems to me a very efficient use of the public funds with which the provincial administration works,” Tom Vandeput concludes.