Neighbours rally against Emirates embassy plan

Opposition is growing to plans by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to overhaul the grounds of the historic Maison Delune on Brussels’ Avenue Franklin Roosevelt for a new embassy.

A petition of local residents has gathered 400 signatures opposing the plans by the Gulf state to cut down nearby trees, build a 20-space underground car park, construct a 1,075m² consulate and a 250m² cultural pavilion in the grounds of the building. There is already outcry that 51 of the 63 trees in the gardens have been cut down.

The opposition is being led by the artists group from the nearby Avenue de l’Orée, which has more than 400 signatures, demanding that the trees be protected and that the car park should only have 10 places.

Built for the 1910 Worlds Fair in Brussels by architect Léon Delune, the residence – also known as the Château Delune – is one of the best loved buildings in Brussels. Although the building was protected by the government in 1994, the UAE, which bought the site in 2012, has significant rights over the surrounding land.