Steinfort, in the far west of the Grand Duchy, is a village that is growing rapidly. But while it is growing, it wants to preserve its unique and friendly rural character.

It is one of the gateways to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. In the extreme west, on the Arlon-Luxembourg axis, Steinfort is the first village that Belgians pass through when they decide to leave the motorway to take the old national road. It is a peaceful village, separated in two by this road, and surrounded by greenery.

However, behind this very real peace and quiet (except perhaps during rush hour), Steinfort is experiencing impressive development. "It is a dynamic and growing municipality," says Jean-Marie Wirth, mayor of the entity. "It's a good place to live. Steinfort is neither really urban nor rural. You could call it a 'rurban' village. The heart of the municipality has many shops. Everything is within walking distance. You can easily do your shopping on foot. But we are also in the middle of a green countryside, accessible to all and which we want to preserve.

With 4,700 inhabitants, spread over the villages of Steinfort, Grass, Hagen and Kleinbettingen, the municipality has everything it needs to attract. And it is not shy about doing so. In recent years, the demographic growth of the community has been considerable. Steinfort has therefore signed up to the government's housing pact and has committed itself to creating housing to ensure that its population grows by 1.5% each year. "We have noticed that many Belgians want to settle in the municipality of Steinfort. The municipality has 463 Belgian residents. But it is not only our neighbours who settle in the municipality. Sixty-two different nationalities live together in our villages", explains the mayor. Moreover, this cohabitation is exemplary, thanks in particular to the work carried out by the social and integration commission which, through its activities and the conversation tables it proposes, enables people to meet each other and maintain a cordial and constructive dialogue.

Steinfort is attractive because of the many facilities it offers, especially in terms of access to public transport. First of all, there is the bus line 222, which connects Steinfort to the Plateau du Kirchberg, in Luxembourg. Then there is Kleinbettigen station, which provides quick access to the heart of Luxembourg City. With all these facilities, Steinfort has established itself as a regional development centre and is implementing numerous infrastructures that should benefit both its inhabitants and those of the neighbouring municipalities.

The project to build a new sports complex is in the planning stage, while the regional rescue service is currently operational. "Our aim is to subscribe to the vision of a regional urban community, positioning ourselves as the driving force behind the development of new services that will benefit all the inhabitants of the region, whether they come from the municipality of Steinfort or from neighbouring municipalities," explains Jean-Marie Wirth.

Developing housing

In order to respond to the dynamic of expansion in Steinfort, the municipality intends to create housing. Currently, two special development plans are being studied. The first is in the process of being implemented. "It should be possible to start development in the course of the year. It concerns 500 housing units in Steinfort itself," says the mayor. This new residential area will be built near the centre, in place of old buildings that were previously used for economic purposes. A second special development plan has yet to undergo a complete procedure. But it could be adopted within the next two years. This plan concerns 200 housing units.

The speed of implementation of these projects will obviously depend on the willingness of developers to develop them. The municipal authorities, however, hope to see housing created fairly quickly, so that supply can better match current demand and land prices allow easier access to housing. "Other PAP projects in the municipalities of Kleinbettingen and Hagen are also envisaged to enable the creation of housing. But their implementation is not yet on the agenda", continues the mayor.

In terms of town planning, Steinfort has managed to preserve its rural character. In the heart of the town, buildings may not have more than three storeys in front. "While it is understandable that developers want to make their projects profitable, the municipality still has space that can be dedicated to housing development by working on the general development plan. There is therefore no reason to jeopardise the convivial character of the village by increasing the density of housing within it, by creating six-storey buildings for example," explains the mayor.