Not only a supermarket, but also other shops. With the possibility to build apartments on top of it. For that reason, the municipality of Emmen is putting a piece of land in the Delftlanden district up for sale.
Market parties are asked to show their interest in a plot on the Zandzoom (good for 3,245 square meters) before 12 May. As the youngest district of Emmen, the Delftlanden still lacks the necessary facilities. With the exception of two schools, a day care center and a pre-school, the supply is virtually nil.
It has everything to do with the initially delayed development of the district. After the first houses were built around 2005, new construction stopped. The economic crisis, followed by the bankruptcy of project developer Megahome, caused the delay at the time.
For years it remained with a few tufts of houses spread over the construction site. As a result, the municipality decided to cut back on the plans at the time: the original 3500 homes were reduced to 1600 homes. Alderman Jisse Otter later decided to halve that number again, because the pulse of the housing market at the time remained extremely weak.
Until around 2019 there was a turning point. The construction cranes found their way back to the Delftlanden and homes were built. Less than two years later, the municipality even had to say no: all plots had been sold or taken out under option. A new zoning plan amendment is now being prepared to allow for another 250 additional homes.
In line with this, the municipality also considers it ‘high time’ to finally get to work on the ‘shopping centre’, which has been envisaged for some time. A plot on Zandzoom, right next to public primary school Delftlanden and Christian primary school Het Talent, was designated for this purpose years ago.
The supermarket may be a maximum of 1500 square meters, slightly less than half of the available plot. Just over 900 square meters remains for retail. The maximum building height is 16 meters. Apartments are possible above the supermarket and the other shops. Visitors to the shops can park in a public car park next to the information center on Zandzoom. For the residents of the apartments, this can be done on, in or under the building.
The district council has already expressed a wish for the arrival of a supermarket in the Delftlanden. Other facilities, such as public transport, are also on the wish list. The district is the only one in Emmen still devoid of bus lines.
What is already certain is the arrival of a new school building or child center that will house both the public primary school and Het Talent. A design will be drawn up in 2023. Construction will then start in 2024 to be a year later. The new child center will be located near the intended plot for the supermarket and shops.
The speed at which the supermarket and other shops will be developed depends on the level of interest, says project manager Helga Kruijdenberg of the municipality of Emmen. “If several parties come forward, a sales procedure must be started.” In that case it is too optimistic to count on a concrete plan before this year.
According to Kruijdenberg, the municipality has been asked more than once by the business community about the possibilities for a supermarket. Now that the neighborhood is being expanded again, it has been decided to go to the farmer with the supermarket location. As for retail, the project manager mentions a bakery or a snack bar as possibilities.
Kruijdenberg also expects that the planned child center can provide extra attraction for the shopping center. “Many parents who bring their children to school can immediately combine that with a shopping trip.”