Charleroi is actively pursuing the regeneration of Ville-Basse. Public investment is increasing and this is normal since this dynamic generates more than 5 euros of private money for every euro of public funds. The Charleroi of the future is dynamic thanks to a vision of the city for the next 10 to 15 years. The MS-A research department has presented a project for three different areas: the Left Side Business Park, the district of La Villette as well as the areas surrounding the South Station.
The Ville-Basse will not be permanently transformed. The main goal is to set guidelines for future real estate deployments, transport developments and volume distribution between businesses, offices, service activities and housing.
This master-plan gives a new orientation to the Left Side Business Park. It will house new office spaces and housing that will take the form of towers with a breathtaking view of the Marina, as well as public spaces where locals can relax. A little further, there is the right bank of the River Sambre which will be completely revised as well as the docks and the surroundings of the South station. Finally, the urban fabric of the La Villette district will also benefit by becoming an extension of the centre of Charleroi, renewing its link with the city centre.
The new business district will house a marina with a capacity of 22 boats. It will cover almost 35,000 m² for offices and nearly 33,500 m² for housing and accommodation. This space will take the form of towers surrounded by green spaces and car parks. In the future, this "Place Bleue" business district will be directly connected to the commercial centre of Place Verte via the axis of the rue de Marchienne.
The entire east plateau of the Gare du Sud will also be revamped, involving the entire space between the esplanade of the station and the old railway hotel.
The City of Charleroi intends to reconcentrate the metropolitan functions in the city centre. This will result in the return of several administrative headquarters such as Igretec intercommunity which will relocate to Boulevard Mainz but also by the installation of the future headquarters of the Sambrienne Broucheterre. The current postal sorting building will mainly accommodate activities in the tertiary sector and this easily accessible plateau will house offices, equipment and services on nearly 50,000 m². The railway network operator, Infrabel, has already started construction of a new building. The basement of the former postal sorting centre will be converted into a 250-space car park.
Other elements are planned for the surroundings of the station. It is recalled that the quays of the left bank have been modified to integrate the aquatic element in the urban landscape. This modification was made possible thanks to the ERDF funds 2007-2013 as part of the Phenix projects. The 2014-2017 plans concern the banks of the right bank. The same reconnection dynamics will be implemented. The Autonomous Port of Charleroi won the contract to develop the esplanade of the station and propose a homogeneous reconfiguration of the Sambre surroundings. The SNCB's investments are added to these guidelines with the major planned renovation underway to provide the connection to the parking areas on the Villette side.
Behind the station, the space is largely occupied by an SNCB car park which extends between the rue de la Villette and the rue Janson. The reduction of the SNCB PPI prompted Eurogare and the City of Charleroi to review the project and to opt for the creation of a 790-seat wooded car park. This project will be implemented in the short, medium and long term. The end goal is to limit the parking only to the basement and to keep the entire park surface. This project plans to reconnect the neighbourhood to downtown - the area was separated by the creation of the ring and the railway. For this, 400 homes will be installed on nearly 42,000 m² with a clear and coherent transport infrastructure. A roundabout will be built under the R9 which will ensure the incoming and outgoing service of the district.
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