Plans for a 49-metre residential tower at Ninive Gate have triggered a storm of opposition from local residents, community groups and the municipality of Molenbeek, who denounce the project as oversized, speculative and environmentally damaging.
At a consultation committee meeting on Tuesday, developers Alides and Ion defended their proposal for a high-rise building, which includes 105 flats, 133 student rooms, and nearly 2,000 square metres of communal facilities. But the presentation was met with loud protest.
Molenbeek's councillor for urban planning, Josiane Dostie (PTB/PVDA), stated that the public inquiry had garnered 130 responses, "mostly very critical." While she welcomed the participation as "a sign of healthy democracy."
Dostie listed a raft of concerns: the absence of guarantees for social housing, a shortage of large apartments for families, excessive density, a lack of green space, and inadequate parking capacity, with just 89 spaces for hundreds of residents.
She also questioned the inclusion of student housing in a municipality "that never asked for it," noting the site's distance from major campuses and uncertainty around rent levels.
Developers insist on urban renewal
Alides and Ion argue that the project fits into the wave of urban regeneration already visible along the Brussels canal.
They say the scheme offers a mix of housing types, from family apartments with terraces and balconies to social and student units, responding to the capital’s acute demand for diverse accommodation.
"This site has been building land for decades," their lawyer noted. "It is entirely appropriate that it should finally be developed."
Fears of over-densification and gentrification
Civil society organisations remain unconvinced. Inter-Environnement Bruxelles warned of over-densification in "one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in Europe," fearing the tower would become a physical and social barrier between Molenbeek, Anderlecht and the City of Brussels.
The Brussels Architectural Research Workshop (Arau) called for the land to remain open, in line with the Canal Plan.
At the same time, Bruxelles Nature stated that the scheme would harm biodiversity and destroy the habitats of protected species. Environmental NGO Natagora highlighted the risk of flooding if the existing wetland is replaced by a site that would be 99 per cent paved.
La Rue, a local non-profit, raised alarms about gentrification. They argued that the demographic justification is outdated, citing declining population projections, while the student housing component is "largely speculative." Rising rents, they said, would accelerate the displacement of long-term residents.
During the hearing, only one resident spoke in favour of the project.
Decision due in October
Despite the backlash, the developers maintain that the project is both lawful and necessary. "A resident always prefers a park over a building," their lawyer remarked, "but this plot has been designated as building land for decades."
The consultation committee is expected to issue its decision on 14 October.
