Lubbeek (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Lubbeek will spend nearly €37 million over 6 years, including €16 million on roads and a new sports hall at Pellenberg school, says Mayor Davy Suffeleers; swimming pond plan cancelled.
As VRT News reported, Lubbeek, in the province of Flemish Brabant, Belgium, is set to build a new sports hall at the school in Pellenberg. The hall will serve students and local sports clubs. It will be used for physical education, school events, and community activities.
“We remain financially sound,”
Mayor Davy Suffeleers (N-VA+ ) proudly stated.
“We can make these investments without raising taxes or cutting staff.”
What is Lubbeek spending €37M on roads and the Pellenberg sports hall without a pond?
The municipality also revealed its 6-year investment plan. Nearly €37 million will be spent on public projects. Around €16 million will go to road safety and infrastructure improvements. Roads such as Houwaartstraat, Bollenberg, and Lange Lo will be rebuilt to make them safer and easier to use.
Lubbeek will invest a large part of its budget in education and after-school care. A major project is the construction of a new sports hall at the school in Pellenberg.
“It will be located at the new school in Pellenberg, which will open its doors next year,”
says Mayor Davy Suffeleers (N-VA +).
“I’ve been an alderman for 12 years, and sports clubs have been asking for more space for at least as long,”
says the mayor.
“Basketball, volleyball, badminton clubs. They all need more space. Currently, they often have to move to neighbouring municipalities to accommodate more members.”
Residents have also been expecting a swimming pond in the area. To explore this, the municipal board considered buying the Waterhoek estate.
“After investigation, the area appears to be too marshy for that,”
says Suffeleers.
“As a result, the project would be too expensive for the municipality. Therefore, we are not proceeding with the purchase of the estate.”
In January 2025, the municipal council discussed this idea after acquiring 34,650 m² of land. Support for the project has been received from every political party and is intended to offer local residents additional recreational areas to use over time.
Additionally, as the municipality continues to expand education within Pellenberg, an additional allocation of £1.8 million has just been granted to the school’s current operating budget.
