National politicians want a student complex to be built in Kronenburg in Amstelveen as soon as possible. A motion from D66 on this subject was almost unanimously adopted by the House of Representatives this afternoon. The plan was previously rejected by the Council of State due to aircraft noise in the area.
In the motion, D66 asks outgoing Minister Hugo de Jonge of Housing and Mark Harbers of Infrastructure and Water Management to reach an agreement on construction with the municipality of Amstelveen no later than this autumn. The party wants as many homes as possible to be built immediately. The original plan involves 2,500 student homes.
De Jonge also wants the project to continue, but only if the brakes are put on. As far as the minister is concerned, project developers can start with the construction of 438 homes and possibly add (short stay) homes in phases. Short stay tenants may stay in the same home for a maximum of six months.
Sound-adaptive construction
“Noise regulations, you can’t just ignore them with a shrug. That’s why we’re taking it step by step. Let’s prove on the spot that we can build with low noise,” Hugo de Jonge responded last week to questions from D66 MP Faissal Boulakjar. If the noise pollution in those first few hundred homes is bearable, more can be built, according to De Jonge.
The MP is raising the alarm about the major housing shortage among students in the Amsterdam region and wants the municipality of Amstelveen to continue with its original plan. “You can simply use sound-adaptive construction to ensure that those homes are built,” says Boulakjar. D66’s wish to immediately build more than 438 homes is not included in the motion.
His Amstelveen party colleague, spatial planning councilor Floor Gordon, has been fighting for student housing in Kronenburg for years and said in a response to NH that he was pleased with the broad support of the House of Representatives.
“This once again confirms the need for the construction of as many student homes as possible. Kronenburg is the ideal location, right next to the Uilenstede student campus, with the motivation that we are building sound-adaptive and well-insulated homes for students who only live there for a short time.” Gordon is looking forward to more clarity from De Jonge and Harbers. According to the motion, this will be done before the end of the year.