Coop Byen will become an admirable and sustainable district

Coop has just entered into an agreement to build the first stage of the Coop Byen district together with PensionDan-mark in a joint venture company with a 50/50 distribution. Coop Byen will be built in several stages over the next 10 years.

“We’re well in the process of developing the first stage of Coop Byen, and we hope that we can turn the first sod in a year from now. In the first stage, we will build 380 good, sustainable and Nordic Swan Ecolabelled homes in a green district. Sustainability is at the centre of the whole Coop Byen, and Coop’s history and values about community, diversity and health must also be reflected in the architecture and urban spaces – both in the first stage and when the whole district has been constructed in 10 years’ time,” says Coop’s Real Property Director Flemming Møller Hansen and continues:

“In Coop, accountability and business go hand in hand. The-refore, Coop Byen must obviously be sustainable and built in a way that supports a sustainable everyday life where it’s easier to sort waste, avoid food waste, use green energy and thus emit less CO2. In specific terms, we’re striving for DGNB Gold certification for Coop Byen, which means that we must meet a large number of criteria for recycling mate-rials, biodiversity and rainwater solutions.”

4,500 new residents

When the whole Coop Byen has been constructed, it will have increased the housing stock in the Municipality of Albertslund by 1,700 flats, 90 terraced houses and 4,500 residents, equal to an increase in inhabitants of approximately 15% in the municipality. When completed, the project will represent a market value of approximately DKK 6 billion. Flemming Møller Hansen, Coop, says:

“During the development of the area, we’ve had excellent collaboration with EDC Poul Erik Bech, which has performed a comprehensive analysis assignment in advising us on the development of this huge sustainable district in relation to sizes of homes, housing composition and market rent levels. It has been a large analysis assignment in relation to planning the residential area and determining the types of homes, sizes and resident composition in Coop Byen. We’re really looking forward to seeing how the future district will take shape and how Coop’s spirit, history and values will make themselves felt in the district.”

Community, sharing economy and sustainability

The homes in the first stage of Coop Byen consist of 380 flats and terraced houses and are gathered in three clusters around a green area and a community house, which the future residents will run together. Kenneth Nielsen, Project Director in EDC Project Poul Erik Bech, says:

“We’ve been very pleased with our collaboration with Coop on this comprehensive sustainable district. For a couple of years, one of our employees has worked closely and almost daily with Coop on the development of the new admirable district. At the same time, our Research & Analysis Department has performed an extensive assignment regarding housing composition, determination of types of homes with mixed housing for young people, the elderly and families with children, as well as sizes of the homes, and extensive analysis work, including market rent levels for the coming sustainable district.”

“During stage 1, the coming homes will vary in size between 60-130 m², distributed on 2-5-room flats and terraced houses. In addition, there will be a small number of youth homes of 30-40 m². At the present time, we can say that rents will match the market level for newly built homes on Vestegnen, and the prices will reflect the market conditions in conformity with the area for newly built homes. We’re really looking forward to seeing the development of this hugely admirable and ambitious project,” says Kenneth Nielsen.

Coop expects the first turn of the sod and registrations for stage 1 to commence in mid-2022, and the first homes in stage 1 will be occupied in mid-2024. Day-care centre, green common areas, multi-storey car park and community house with a multi-use hall will also be built in the first stage. Subsequently, in stage 2, Coop stores and communal areas will be built, the coffee tower will be converted into a climbing wall, a kindergarten will be constructed, and sensory gardens etc. will be established.