But according to Lamberink, it is not just a matter for the cabinet and the government to get out of the dip. “There are designated locations in Drenthe where the shovel can immediately be put into the ground, but where construction does not take place. We have to look at what is going wrong there. Is the land purchased too expensively, is the right residential product on it, why is it new-build homes that are currently on the market? So we still have a lot to do ourselves.”
The province of Drenthe recognizes the picture sketched by Lamberink. And there are comments to be made. “We see that the number of plans in Drenthe that have received a permit has decreased. This is related to, among other things, capacity problems and complicated procedures,” says a spokesperson.
The province says it is working with municipalities, housing associations, residents and market parties to find a solution to streamline and accelerate housing construction. But the government also has to make a significant contribution. Consider solving the problems with nitrogen that threaten to bring new construction projects to a standstill, better accessibility of Drenthe and the fact that projects cannot be connected to the power grid. The government can also do something to make construction projects more profitable for investors, the spokesperson outlined.