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The project supports UZ Leuven University Hospital's 2022-2033 investment plan to adapt the existing campuses infrastructure to the current research and medical care requirements. In addition to investments in the expansion, modernisation and rehabilitation of the main campus and some smaller initiatives in other locations, the project includes the rehabilitation of the Pellenberg hospital and the modernisation of psychiatric care facilities in Kortenberg, Melsbroek, Lubbeek, and Leuven.
The aim is to finance the replacement, new construction and rehabilitation of about 11 buildings located on the Gasthuisberg Campus and the Pellenberg Campus as well as the psychiatric care facilities operated by Z.org KU Leuven in Kortenberg, Lubbeek, Melsbroek and Leuven. Beside improving the conditions for treatment, research and training, investments also intend to significantly increase the environmental sustainability and move to a carbon-free hospital at a later stage, thereby minimising the requirements of fossil fuels in the future.
The project is in line with the InvestEU objective of social investments, in particular by creating infrastructure for modern psychiatric as well as complex hospital care.
The project consists of investments for highly specialised tertiary care as well for modern psychiatric care facilities anticipating changes and reforms in mental health care, characterized by both the shift towards outpatient and community-based care, as well as the intensification of (residential) care. These activities are embedded in the R&D and teaching activities of one of the leading University Hospitals in Europe.
The project supports EIB's health policy objective and aims to provide high quality and accessible healthcare services. The project addresses a sub-optimal investment situation in the healthcare market in general, and in the hospital care segment in particular, as socio-economic returns are expected to exceed financial returns significantly.
The Bank can provide sizeable and long-term financings, aligning maturities to the economic life of the investment, while providing flexible drawdown modalities during the construction phase. In parallel, the EIB adds to the depth of available financing options available to the Promoter, at attractive economic terms, and thereby facilitates and accelerates the necessary investments into hospital infrastructure.
Hospitals are not explicitly mentioned in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2011/92/EU (as amended by 2014/52/EU), though the project is covered by Annex II of the Directive concerning urban development. The compliance with requirements of the EIA Directive 2011/92/EU, as amended by 2014/52/EU on EIA and Habitats Directive, will be verified during appraisal. It is expected that the project will bear comprehensive benefits to the community, as healthcare is an element of social cohesion and economic development.
The promoter has to ensure that contracts for implementation of the project will be tendered in accordance with the applicable EU procurement legislation, Directive 2014/24/EU as well as Directive 89/665/EEC as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU, with publication of tender notices in the EU Official Journal, as and where required.