Construction students join forces with Aalst City Council to break ground on ‘Lindenhof’
30/04/2026
This morning, students from the construction course at GO! Horizon, together with Aalst’s mayor Christoph D’Haese and alderwoman for Care Innovation, Economy and Industry Katrien Beulens, symbolically broke ground on ‘Lindenhof’. The new residential and commercial development on the former KBC site along Gentsesteenweg will soon provide 17 brand-new flats and 4,400 square metres of office space. “If everything goes to plan, we will welcome the first residents and businesses in the first half of 2028,” says project developer ION.
Equipped with hard hats, high-visibility vests and a tape measure, 13 students from the GO! Horizon construction course headed down to the one-hectare construction site this morning. Together with Katrien Beulens, the alderwoman for Social Economy and Industry, they were given a brief tour of the site and were then invited to symbolically break ground for the project. The site is undergoing a complete transformation. Not only is a brand-new office building being constructed, but ION is also planning two residential blocks with a total of 17 flats.
It is literally a textbook example of how to transform a derelict site on the outskirts of a town into a vibrant neighbourhood. In ‘Lindenhof’, you will soon be able to live, work and relax in a park. We are delighted that the students from the construction course at GO! Horizon in Aalst wanted to see the early stages of development with their own eyes and have now experienced what it’s like on a real building site. This is a wonderful experience in their own town of Aalst, which they will no doubt continue to remember as they progress through their studies.
Healthcare and Technology Centre
Over the past few weeks, the old KBC building has been demolished. With the start of the excavation work, the actual construction of ‘Lindenhof’ has now begun. The office building will not only house KBC. The City of Aalst, the Province of East Flanders, the Flemish Government and the European Union are already investing jointly in a new training and innovation centre within the complex.
‘Tenera Healthregion - Smartbox’ places healthcare innovation, technology and entrepreneurship at the heart of its mission. It will be a vibrant environment where students, entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals and researchers can explore the latest technologies and further their professional development. In this way, we are bridging the gap between education and business. Together, we are continuing to develop Aalst into the country’s leading healthcare and tech hub.
Need for sustainable new-build housing
The residential section will be situated next to the office building. This helps to address the need for additional high-quality homes in a green setting in Aalst. More than half of the site will soon be unpaved. Sales figures also show that many residents of Aalst are looking for a place where they can combine the benefits of city life with peace and space in a pleasant home. Even before the first brick has been laid, all the flats have already been sold. Sales of the offices are also progressing smoothly. Currently, six units ranging from 265 to 330 square metres are still available.
If all goes well, ‘Lindenhof’ will welcome its first residents in the first half of 2028.
