Mayor Ward Kennes (CD&V) and project developer Cores Development have laid the symbolic first stone of the new Bayot business park along the Poederleesteenweg in Lichtaart.
For decades, the well-known interior design store ER Meubelen was located at Poederleesteenweg 96 in Lichtaart. The furniture store has been a familiar face in the region all along, but closed its doors permanently at the end of 2018. Now the derelict site is getting a new future with the Bayot business park. Six buildings will be built on the 15,300 m² site, containing eight offices, four showrooms and 28 shell-finished SME units. They vary in surface area from 159 m² to 367 m² with the option to combine units. In addition, project developer Cores Development also provides 97 parking spaces, a disabled parking area and charging points for electric vehicles.
“We wanted to breathe new life into the site at all costs,” says Alexander Vanheukelen, business developer at Cores Development. “Since the closure of ER Meubelen, there has been no activity on the site for years, while in the Kasterlee region it was for local It is not always easy for entrepreneurs to find a place to settle. With this new SME park, we will largely solve the lack of space for local businesses and ensure that the entrepreneurial community can further anchor itself in the region in a sustainable manner.”
Start-ups and growth companies
Due to the varied range of spaces – project developer Cores Development is targeting different types of companies that can move in. Both starting self-employed people and growing companies will find a new professional home on Bayot.
First companies in 2025
The first work on the site has started at the beginning of this month. Contractor Vulsteke has started the foundation works. In the coming months, the project will move up a gear, with the above-ground construction being installed. If everything goes according to plan, the first companies will establish themselves on the renovated site early next year. There is already great interest in the site. Since sales started in mid-2023, 25 percent of the units have already been sold.
More information about the technical options and prices of the SME units, showrooms and offices can be found on the website.
