The Housing Ministry’s plan for the Bein HaNachalim neighborhood in southeastern Yerucham includes around 16,000 square meters for hotels and 4,000 square meters for commercial spaces. The construction will be diverse, featuring apartment buildings and detached homes, some with separate guest cabins.
By Doron Brewitman, Nadlan Center
The Southern District Planning and Building Committee, headed by Oded Plus, is expected to review the approval of a new neighborhood in Yerucham, called Bein HaNachalim, by the end of the month. The project, advanced by the Housing Ministry, will include the construction of 1,666 housing units. Located in the southeastern part of Yerucham, just south of the city’s industrial area and bordering the desert, the neighborhood is positioned between Nahal Dorbanim and Nahal Shualim, which inspired its name.
The plan also features 16.4 thousand square meters of hotel and tourism areas, approximately 30 thousand square meters of public buildings, and 4,000 square meters of commercial areas. The total area of the neighborhood will be 659.8 dunams.
The neighborhood’s plan includes a variety of building types: shared apartments, courtyard complexes, terraced houses, and detached homes, some of which include separate guest cabins (tzimmers), with an average density of 6.34 units per dunam. Architect Ruth Lahav-Rig designed the plan.
The neighborhood’s location offers significant tourism potential due to its proximity to the Yerucham Crater and the surrounding desert landscapes. Additionally, the plan incorporates two archaeological sites. To leverage this potential, two distinct tourism projects have been designed, and the plan allows for private initiatives to develop lodging services, tourism infrastructure, and private guest accommodations within homes (tzimmers). The eastern part of the neighborhood is hilly, while the western side is relatively flat.
The explanation attached to the plan states: “The area defined by the plan’s blue line is highly environmentally sensitive. Therefore, the landscape appendix is accompanied by a series of visual renderings designed to reflect the planning team’s vision for the unique landscape character of the 96-dunam neighborhood, inspired by its surroundings. Additionally, the plan strictly adheres to the guidelines regarding the interface between the buildings and the open spaces.”