As expected, the first batch of units went like hot cakes. The first 100 that came on the market were given within a day and a half. The low rent - 550 euros per month including gas, water and electricity - makes the accommodation particularly attractive to the main target group: Maastricht students, especially first-year students from abroad. For them, a fifteen-minute commute by train will not be a problem.

The rest of the 261 flats will now become available, with an average surface area of 27m2 and all furnished. They come with communal facilities such as a gym, a meeting room and a coffee bar. The 220 smaller units are earmarked for students, the others will be offered to expats.

Great interest

There is already a waiting list for the units that will soon be completed. "Considering the great interest from students, this project can be called quite a success," says Maurice Evers, head of the Maastricht Housing department of the Student Services Centre. "The fear that people studying in Maastricht would not want to live in the region has fortunately proved unfounded."

UM is happy with the extra student housing outside the city. According to Evers, it is an excellent addition to the existing student housing supply in Maastricht. "The flats in the Zuidtoren are of excellent quality and very affordable. Their close proximity to the station means that the extra travel time is limited. All in all, this project in Sittard will make an important contribution to preventing a shortage of rooms for students in Maastricht."