Benefiting from a central position in the country, in the heart of the Alzette valley, the municipality of Mersch is attracting ever more residents. To meet this demographic challenge, many projects are being studied and implemented on its territory.

Still mainly dependent on agriculture until the mid-1990s, the municipality of Mersch has, over the last 25 years, developed strongly in other sectors and has increased its attractiveness. Thus, while it had 6,900 inhabitants in 1999, it now has more than 9,600, an increase of almost 40 % in twenty years. Mersch, Rollingen and Beringen, with 4,703, 2,087 and 1,027 residents respectively, concentrate the majority of the population. Essingen, Moesdorf, Pettingen, Reckange and Schoenfels complete the composition of this municipality in which almost 100 nationalities live side by side.

An ideal location

One of the reasons for Mersch's significant population growth is its location. The municipality is the geographical centre of the country, which makes it a nerve centre for households, but also for companies that want to set up in Luxembourg. Since the opening of the northern motorway, the population of the municipality has soared," explains Mayor Michel Malherbe. The capital can now be reached in about twenty minutes by road. In the other direction, you can get to Clervaux in 40 minutes. Mersch is also very well served by trains and buses, through its railway and bus station. Since the opening of the Pfaffenthal station, the Kirchberg can be reached in 10-20 minutes.

If the town's attractiveness has increased in recent years, so have its property prices. The price of land has soared," says Michel Malherbe. Today, we are approaching 100,000 euros per acre. These exorbitant amounts do not prevent the development of numerous projects on the territory of the commune.

The housing boom

The most important project concerns the development and modernisation of the station area, which has been under study since 2009. "The objective is to redevelop all of the agro-industrial wasteland and its surroundings, i.e. an area of some 50 hectares belonging to Nouvelle Luxlait Produits S.à r.l. as well as to the State, the developer Giorgetti and the CEPAL group, grouped together under the company Rives de l'Alzette," explains André Kaluza, head of the municipality's Technical Department. This is an ambitious project that will eventually see the construction of 1,000 housing units, as well as shops, offices, administrative buildings and a five-storey P+R car park with 400 spaces for train and bus passengers.

The new district will be able to accommodate more than 2,000 additional people over the next fifteen years. At the moment, the project is still in its infancy," says André Kaluza. The deconstruction of the silos and other buildings has begun. The modernisation of the platforms of the bus and train stations is planned for 2020. But the first housing buildings should not appear before 2023.

On the former site of the Faber printing works, which has gone bankrupt, a special development plan (PAP) for 110 housing units has been deployed and construction should start next year. Another PAP is planned for the CREOS site on the route d'Arlon and should accommodate a large housing estate for 300 new residents. The municipality also supports charitable projects, including one developed by the Franciscan Sisters and Caritas. This is a housing structure for young people with family problems, social housing for people with low incomes and "classic" housing," explains the mayor. In all, 72 housing units with parking are planned.

As a result of the various initiatives in the area, the municipality of Mersch is expected to have 650 housing units and 1,400 to 1,500 additional people within five years. As required by law, 10 % of the new housing will be low-cost housing, in order to facilitate access to home ownership.

Numerous facilities

The forthcoming arrival of new households means that the commune must start thinking about the future. We need to adapt our water and electricity infrastructures so that we can efficiently supply all our inhabitants," confides Michel Malherbe.
We have already allocated 1.5 million euros for in-depth studies on this subject and we have decided to make major investments to secure our drinking water infrastructure.

The expected increase in population also means that certain infrastructures need to be reinforced or redesigned. The municipality already benefits from numerous facilities. There are many shops and services, including the Topaze shopping centre, restaurants, health professionals and a retirement home. In terms of education, Mersch is particularly well equipped. It has a primary school, two halfway houses, a music school, crèches and nurseries and three secondary schools. In addition, there are cultural infrastructures, with the Maison de la Culture, and sports infrastructures, adapted to everyone's tastes: football pitches and tennis courts, two sports halls, the five-star Krounebierg campsite as well as the Krounebierg aquatic centre equipped with several pools and a wellness area.

However, Mersch does not intend to stop there. Another major project of the municipality consists in relocating the current football pitches and the sports hall which are located in the centre of the town. "We are in the process of finalising the acquisition of land in order to build a new, more modern sports centre on the outskirts, along the motorway, in order to relieve the centre of Mersch and to be able to continue the conversion of the sites, mainly into housing," explains André Kaluza. Next year, a brand new halfway house with a capacity of 350 children will open its doors. The current primary school will also be demolished to build a new complex for 880 children by 2023, including a school, sports hall and swimming pool. Finally, a new conference centre with meeting rooms and a festival hall is to be built to provide the best possible venue for the 113 clubs in the municipality and federations or groups from all over the country that wish to meet in a central location.

The balance between development and rurality

Mersch attracts not only residents but also companies to its territory every year. The new regional business park, located along the motorway and developed in cooperation with the neighbouring municipalities of Lorentzweiler and Lingten, should continue to support its economic development.

The commune of Mersch has all the amenities of a city, but offers a pleasant environment to its residents. Located along the Alzette, the 17-hectare municipal park offers peaceful walks. The municipality is also careful to preserve the specific character of the villages where mainly houses are built and not apartment buildings. Covering an area of almost 50 km2, of which more than 22 are forests and 23 are agricultural areas, Mersch remains a green commune, both rural and with an urban centre.