Seneffe
Encyclopedia
Seneffe is a Walloon municipality
located in the Belgian
province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Seneffe had a total population of 10,743. The total area is 62.77 km² which gives a population density
of 171 inhabitants per km².
The Castle of Seneffe
, now a museum belonging to the French Community of Belgium
, is located in the municipality.
and the Austin Allegro
from crated kits shipped from the company's Cowley
facility. A significant milestone was reached in June 1977 when the plant produced its 500,000th vehicle, an Austin Allegro 1300 Special
. The Seneffe plant was closed in 1982 as the company's aging model range lost market share across Europe, with further loss of demand resulting from the depressed state of the UK economy at the time. With alternative employment opportunities limited, the plant closure triggered considerable bitterness locally.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
located in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Seneffe had a total population of 10,743. The total area is 62.77 km² which gives a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 171 inhabitants per km².
The Castle of Seneffe
Castle of Seneffe
The Château of Seneffe or Château de Seneffe is an 18th century château located in the municipality of Seneffe in the province of Hainaut, Belgium...
, now a museum belonging to the French Community of Belgium
French Community of Belgium
The French Community of Belgium is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. Although its name could suggest that it is a community of French citizens in Belgium, it is not...
, is located in the municipality.
British Leyland
Between 1965 and 1982 Seneffe was the location of a car plant belonging to British Leyland, which in its later years assembled models including the MiniMini
The Mini is a small car that was made by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered a British icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout influenced a generation of car-makers...
and the Austin Allegro
Austin Allegro
The Austin Allegro is a small family car manufactured by British Leyland under the Austin name from 1973 until 1983. The same vehicle was built in Italy by Innocenti between 1974 and 1975 and sold as the Innocenti Regent...
from crated kits shipped from the company's Cowley
Cowley, Oxford
Cowley in Oxford, England, is a residential and industrial area that forms a small conurbation within greater Oxford. Cowley's neighbours are central Oxford to the northwest, Rose Hill and Blackbird Leys to the south, New Headington to the north and the villages of Horspath and Garsington across...
facility. A significant milestone was reached in June 1977 when the plant produced its 500,000th vehicle, an Austin Allegro 1300 Special
Austin Allegro
The Austin Allegro is a small family car manufactured by British Leyland under the Austin name from 1973 until 1983. The same vehicle was built in Italy by Innocenti between 1974 and 1975 and sold as the Innocenti Regent...
. The Seneffe plant was closed in 1982 as the company's aging model range lost market share across Europe, with further loss of demand resulting from the depressed state of the UK economy at the time. With alternative employment opportunities limited, the plant closure triggered considerable bitterness locally.