The local social policy plan drawn up by the Social Services and Zedelgem local authority laid down that, as part of the section on care for the elderly, basic service provision would be set up as close as possible to the local population in each subdistrict. This would signify an expansion of the existing service based at the local services centre (De Braambeier) in the subdistrict of Zedelgem and its optimisation to the benefit of the whole population. So after the definition of two residential care zones (Zedelgem-Aartrijke and Loppem-Veldegem) the local authority sought interesting locations in the other subdistricts.

In the course of 2011 the Social Services purchased a house with commercial premises, a former small self-service shop in the centre of Veldegem (one of the four subdistricts of Zedelgem).

At the back the land borders on a plot purchased by the council some time previously with an eye to providing access to a social housing project.

This location in the centre of the village offers the local authority the opportunity to build a new project.

The area of the location in Veldegem is perfectly suited not only for a local branch centre, but for a fully-fledged service centre with additional housing for the elderly. In the meantime the local council has been engaged in restructuring and upgrading the location of the registry office, the branch library and the police station.

Offering these services on the new site, incorporating the provision of services by both local councils, brings added value for everyone involved, in the first place the local population.

Zedelgem Social Services would like to implement the following on the Veldegem site by means of the Open Call: a fully-fledged service centre, 20-odd homes for the elderly, a branch of the public library, a room for the registry office and a room for the police. An underground car park for 60-odd vehicles must be provided for the inhabitants of and visitors to the site.

It is of great importance that this project is well integrated into the centre of the village, in terms of both livability and social interaction and in terms of transport. The aim is to create a central campus where the population can go for all sorts of activities, services and leisure. Meals will be served and the cafeteria in the service centre will be a meeting place for the people of Veldegem. Space will be provided for pedicure, showers and a launderette.

The inhabitants will be able to go to the library for a book, comic or newspaper. All the administrative formalities for which one needs the local authority registry office will be offered on the spot.

This new project should be open and attractive, atmospheric, enticing and accessible, with sober contemporary architecture that accentuates the village centre.

Fee architecture: min. 7% - max. 8%

Fee stability: min. 2% - max. 3% of total construction budget