Located on the edge of Luxembourg City, the municipality of Hesperange has many assets that attract many new residents. Its proximity and good connections with the city centre, as well as its real estate projects are among them.

The municipality of Hesperange is one of the largest in the country, consisting of the towns of Hesperange, Fentange, Itzig, Alzingen and Howald. It is only a few minutes away from the capital and in particular from the railway station district, but it is still very green. This ideal location, between urban and agricultural areas, makes Hesperange a very popular place to live for new residents.

A growing population

It is therefore not surprising that the population of the municipality has been growing ever more rapidly in recent years. "The municipality has 15,400 inhabitants and we are still seeing some growth, linked to residential projects, says Mayor Marc Lies. A particularly cosmopolitan population. "Our municipality is home to 45 % of Luxembourgers and 55 % of foreigners. The main nationalities represented are French and Portuguese, he says. The inhabitants of Hesperange are also characterised by their youth. "We are seeing a rejuvenation in the neighbourhoods built in the 1970s. The average age is between 30 and 55. The most represented age group is 35-40 and there are also many children.

Focus on youth

One of the reasons why newcomers, mostly young households with children or workers, are attracted to the municipality is the school offer. Almost every locality has its own school. "All schools are new or renovated. We have extended and modernised them, especially with regard to energy. The last building in Howald will be renovated in the near future, explains the mayor. Several halfway houses, as well as two crèches, reinforce the already numerous infrastructures.

The municipality is particularly concerned about the well-being and safety of the younger generation and does not intend to stop there. "We have four schools and a new one is being built in Alzingen. Each locality will therefore have its own school, halfway house and sports hall, so that the children can stay in their own neighbourhood. They will no longer need to travel from one village to another and will have all the necessary services nearby.

There is also no shortage of sports facilities in the five villages of the municipality. "We offer almost every possible activity: football at the Holleschbierg sports centre, basketball, kayaking, volleyball, climbing, indiaka, badminton, etc. These infrastructures, as previously mentioned, should be multiplied to offer the inhabitants of each village a quality sports hall. Twenty or so playgrounds are also available for families who wish to enjoy the outdoors.

Soft mobility in the spotlight

Due to its strategic location, the municipality has very good connections to the capital and its many districts. Numerous bus lines serve the various localities. The Howald railway station in the town of the same name also contributes to the high level of public transport services.

Attentive to the quality of life of its inhabitants, the mayor also emphasises soft mobility. " We have stations with e-bikes, on the same model as the City of Luxembourg. We are going to install four new stations and we are also planning 13 kilometres of safe cycle paths.

Being close to the city centre often means having a lot of traffic. Unfortunately, the municipality of Hesperange is no exception to this trend. Many motorists drive through the municipality to reach Luxembourg from France. "There is heavy traffic in almost every street. Thousands of cars pass by every day. These problems are reinforced by the development of the Ban de Gasperich, the Cloche d'Or. This is a problem that the mayor wishes to tackle. The local authorities and residents would like to see a bypass. "It is vital for our community to build a new road.

Mixed housing and new shops

Despite its proximity to the capital, the municipality of Hesperange has managed to retain its residential character. The real estate is therefore mixed, with single-family homes on the one hand and apartment buildings on the other, mainly in the new, rapidly changing districts.

Faced with a constantly growing population, the municipality wishes to improve the comfort and quality of life of its inhabitants. There is no shortage of projects, whether to create new housing or to improve the commercial offer.

The Howald business park is in the process of being restructured. "We are going to change from a business area to a service area. There will be housing, offices and shops. It is 750,000 m² that can be built in the coming years.

A real estate drive that also takes the form of two PAPs. "These PAPs provide for the construction of 85 dwellings in Howald and 400 dwellings in Alzingen (PAP Rothweit II): 320 flats and 80 single-family houses, says Marc Lies. The municipality, which owns 30 % of the land concerned in Alzingen, will have affordable housing built there by the Société Nationale des Habitations à Bon Marché. "There will be 100 affordable homes: 56 will be sold and the rest will be rented.

On the Place Paul Jomé in Hesperange, new shops will also soon be opening. "These 10,000 m² It will be used for housing (55 %) and shops (45 %). There will be small businesses, such as a pharmacy and a doctor's surgery. This will further enhance the attractiveness of the town.