First stone laid for ZUUD inclusive housing project
26/08/2025
In addition to care homes for people with disabilities, work will also start on a new construction project with 30 family homes at the end of this year.
In Zwevegem, Mayor Isabelle Degezelle symbolically laid the first stone of the brand-new ZUUD inclusive housing project. She did so together with Petra Vercruysse, CEO of care partner Groep Ubuntu, Wout Maddens, chairman of intermunicipal company Leiedal, and Kristof Vanfleteren, CEO of project developer ION. The first residents of the care homes will be welcomed in the fall of 2026. Adjacent to ZUUD, work will also start at the end of the year on another brand-new project with 30 family homes.
Vanhemmens Hoevestraat in Zwevegem has been buzzing with activity for some time now. At the beginning of the summer, the first (preparatory) work on the new ZUUD construction project got underway. With the laying of the first stone, project developer ION and Groep Ubuntu are now officially kicking off construction. Specifically, 24 so-called care homes will be built. These are homes that are fully tailored to people with mental and/or physical disabilities. For example, the terraces of these homes will have a threshold-free entrance and the bathrooms will be equipped with sliding doors and wide access. Residents will enjoy complete privacy but will be able to meet each other in the communal areas. In addition, space has been provided for Groep Ubuntu's residential coaches, who are available 24/7 and offer the necessary support.
Inclusive housing is not a given for people with disabilities. Not only is it difficult to raise the funds to buy or build an adapted home, there is also a severe shortage of high-quality rental properties that are adapted to the needs of the residents and the support they require. We are therefore particularly pleased that, together with a number of partners, we are able to launch a new construction project in Zwevegem that meets this urgent demand and at the same time improves the quality of life for people with disabilities.
Added value for Zwevegem
The residents of ZUUD will rent their care homes from Groep Ubuntu, which in turn rents the homes from a number of investors who have purchased the care homes. For the latter, it is not only a financially attractive investment. Above all, it is an investment in people, with added social value. Groep Ubuntu, which will be responsible for managing the care homes, emphasizes that the intention is for the residents and owners to build a lasting relationship with each other. ZUUD also represents added value for the municipality.
For many years now, the coordination center of Groep Ubuntu has been located next to our town hall. The construction of ZUUD will create a second assisted living project in Zwevegem for people with disabilities, enabling them to enjoy tailored care and housing support. This is an initiative that we as a municipality welcome, and one that fits perfectly with the objective we are pursuing as a municipal council: keeping care accessible and creating a Zwevegem where everyone feels at home. The site will soon also have space for family homes, which will only reinforce the feeling of inclusive living. More than ever, Zwevegem is a warm municipality where it is pleasant to live and work.
Newly built residences
On the site adjacent to ZUUD, landowner and intermunicipal company Leiedal recently granted project developer ION a building right to realize a residential project there. All government agencies recently gave the green light to start development.
Residents will enjoy complete privacy but can meet each other in the communal areas.
In Zwevegem, Mayor Isabelle Degezelle symbolically laid the first stone of the brand-new ZUUD inclusive housing project. She did so together with Petra Vercruysse, CEO of care partner Groep Ubuntu, Wout Maddens, chairman of intermunicipal association Leiedal, and Kristof Vanfleteren, CEO of project developer ION.
The roadworks have already started, and if everything goes smoothly, the first works can kick off around the turn of the year. Specifically, we are developing 30 sustainable homes on this part of the site that will meet all the needs of young families. Each will have at least three bedrooms and its own garden. We are particularly pleased to be able to realize this in combination with our inclusive housing project, together with Groep Ubuntu. As a developer, we have been striving for a healthy mix of housing for everyone since the beginning. In the next 25 years, our country will need tens of thousands of additional high-quality homes. It is important that we achieve this together in a sustainable, affordable, and inclusive way.
Serving customers at their beck and call
Fluvius wants to serve its customers even better in this regard. The new customer service office has therefore also moved to the new building. Fluvius wants to be close to its customers and help them with questions about meter readings, connections, and prepaid electricity and natural gas.
Losschaert becomes versatile at home
With the realization of the Losschaert residential zone, which began in 2019, Leiedal cherished the quiet desire to create a varied mix of housing types. Today, we are extremely proud that, together with our PPP partner ION, the municipality, and Ubuntu, we are able to present the inclusive residential project ‘ZUUD’ and, later, additional new-build homes. This not only completes the Losschaert residential zone as the versatile and future-oriented residential project that Leiedal envisioned, but also gives it a green, human, and welcoming character.
