News item | 10-11-2025 | 1:00 PM
The construction of 273,000 new homes throughout the Netherlands comes a big step closer today thanks to the government contribution to municipal projects that outgoing ministers Tieman (Infrastructure and Water Management), Keijzer (Public Housing and Spatial Planning) and State Secretary Aartsen (Infrastructure and Water Management) announced today. The government is investing a total of €2.5 billion in the construction of roads, cycle paths, tunnels and tram lines that make new residential areas accessible. In addition, the government is allocating another €877 million for necessary area-specific measures for housing projects, such as soil remediation, water and soil measures or solutions for grid congestion. In this way we contribute to the realization of 128,000 homes by 2035.
The Netherlands is facing a historically large housing construction challenge and wants to build an additional 100,000 homes per year. To stay on track and facilitate the construction of new homes, good accessibility and access to new and existing residential areas is essential. The government has therefore made € 2.5 billion available for the accessibility of new homes, both in urban areas and in smaller centers. The government has now opted to spread investments across the entire country, including the Caribbean Netherlands, with extra attention to areas where the pressure on the housing market is greatest.
Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Robert Tieman: “A beautiful home is one thing, but if it is not properly connected to our infrastructure, you literally get nowhere. With this large package of measures, we now ensure that the construction of as many new homes as possible receives that extra support as quickly as possible. I am proud of this package: small and large projects are helped, throughout the country.”
Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning Mona Keijzer: “New future-proof residential areas require significant investments in a livable public space and good accessibility. It is fantastic that we can give an extra boost to the necessary housing construction in the Netherlands in this way. After all, we want to build as many homes as possible quickly, ensure that people can live comfortably in their new neighborhood and can also reach it easily.”
State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management Thierry Aartsen: “Good infrastructure is the backbone of our society. Whether it concerns train, bus, metro or tram: without strong connections we cannot build new homes, grow our economy and allow people to travel quickly and reliably to work or study. This package provides an enormous boost. We are investing not only in the housing construction challenge, but also in our economy and accessibility.”
Construction starts quickly
Of the €2.5 billion, €1.3 billion will be used for Short-term Housing Construction (WoKT). These are housing projects for which the shovel will be in the ground before 2030. With this money, the planned homes can be properly accessed, so that construction can start quickly. This concerns, for example, the construction of roads, cycle paths and tram lines. Examples are the regional cycle route Veluwewaalpad between Arnhem and Nijmegen. In total, this will result in approximately 145,000 homes by 2034.
Furthermore, 17 existing national large-scale housing areas will receive an additional boost of €1.2 billion. With this amount, the government contributes to 44 infrastructural measures that keep these areas reachable and accessible. The quality of living and living increases significantly in existing and new neighborhoods in those municipalities. For example, the government is contributing to the construction of the Merwede line for Utrecht because it is important for both the realization of the new Groot Merwede districts and, in the long term, Rijnenburg. Not all good plans could be honored. These plans will be included in the formation of a new cabinet.
Money for area-specific measures
In addition, the cabinet has made €877 million available through the so-called Area Budget. This allows area-specific measures to be taken, such as solutions for grid congestion and soil remediation. These are necessary to realize housing within the 17 existing and 4 new national large-scale housing areas: Alkmaar, Apeldoorn, Enschede/Hengelo and Helmond. In addition, investments are being made in public space by installing greenery and relocating activities. The resources from the Area Budget and the resources for infrastructure contribute to the construction of approximately 128,000 homes in total until 2035.
Further arrangements
For all government contributions to housing projects, it is necessary to make further agreements about frameworks and preconditions with municipalities. This will be determined this year at the MIRT administrative consultations in November.
Last March, the cabinet established the criteria and assessment frameworks for assessing municipalities’ proposals. The aim is to help build as many accessible homes as possible throughout the Netherlands as quickly as possible. The feasibility and feasibility are also tested, together with the effect on network congestion, nitrogen space, finances and the required capacity at Rijkswaterstaat and ProRail.