by Olivier Beherman

The SME park ‘De Motte’, developed on the Ragheno park in Mechelen, is being extended with a thorough renovation of the original buildings of the old Peugeot factory. Last year, the contractor Vulsteke Bedrijfsgebouwen started the project (which is a joint initiative of Vulsteke, the Beherman Group and DGI). Construction was delayed to provide clarity about access to the new SME zone.

Today, the parties are ready to start with the roadworks. Due to the heavy rainfall of the past few weeks and the wet soil, which have an impact on the continuation of the activities, they will first lay the access road. The contractor will then be able to get his heavy equipment onto the site and continue working on the 14 modern SME units, with areas ranging from 350 to 450 m². Five units have now been sold. There is continued interest in the remaining units. The entire SME park is expected to be taken into use this spring.

The SME units are being offered with three alternatives. Rectangular with a flat roof, with a saw-tooth roof or with a floor. Each unit will be connected to the utilities. Three parking places are planned per unit, plus a 4.5 m electrical sectional gate. The warehouse will have a clearance of 6 m high. The units A1 – A3 – A4 – A5 and A14 will also be provided with an intermediate platform, thus creating more useful space. Each unit has finished sanitary fittings. The purchase prices for the new units vary between 400,000 and 560,000 euros.

Moreover, enough parking spaces have been planned on the business park with charging stations for electric cars. Vegetation has also been thought about to make pleasant surroundings.

(impressions of the modernised old Peugeot factory)

Landowner and co-developer the Beherman Group will give an additional impulse to the new SME zone. Besides the new units, the Group also owns the former old factory halls belonging to the original Peugeot factory. Most of these halls are leased.

The Group intends to restore the southern part of the complex to its former glory; this concerns the former Peugeot assembly factory, which was in service from 1954 to 1979. The masonry will be cleaned, the roofs will be covered with blue polycarbonate sheeting and the whole will be framed in an orange metal frame at front and rear. The modernised part of the former car factory will have a usable area of more than 1,750 m². The Beherman Group will put these halls up for rent.

Real estate agent DGI will be pleased to provide more information about the new SME park ‘De Motte’.