A court has approved the relocation of the international protection applicants' centre from Koekelberg to Uccle, allowing aid organisation Samusocial to move into a former care home in Rue Beeckman.
Samusocial said on Thursday that the judge had issued the decision on Wednesday. The ruling clears the way for the new centre to open in the former residential care home.
The site has capacity for 238 people and will mainly house families. It will also accommodate single women and men, as well as a small number of unaccompanied minors.
A team of 35 staff will provide round-the-clock reception and psycho-medical-social support.
“This decision is a relief for the people being housed and for our staff, who can finally look ahead calmly to this new stage,” said Sarah de Liamchine, Samusocial’s director-general.
The organisation said it now wanted to continue discussions with the local authorities and nearby residents.
The centre had originally been due to open on 14 July, but that plan was suspended after local residents launched legal action. They challenged, among other things, compliance with planning rules. The case was then delayed several times.
Samusocial began an initial move on 3 August after an earlier court order expired on 31 July. However, it had to halt the process the following day after a new judicial decision.
At that point, ten families had to return to the Koekelberg centre, which Samusocial has described as unsanitary.
The exact date for the move to Uccle has not yet been set. Samusocial said several logistical and staffing arrangements still need to be finalised.
The transfer will be organised with the start of the school year in mind and coordinated with the relevant municipal services.
Samusocial also noted that plans for the centre have been accompanied by countless racist and hateful messages on social media.
Mandated by the Fedasil federal agency for the reception of asylum seekers, Samusocial runs four centres currently housing 1,862 people of 85 different nationalities.
