The judge has annulled a permit for the construction of an apartment complex on the Verlengde Hereweg in Groningen. This happened after the municipality and local residents clashed over the parking situation at this building.
Normally, a project developer from the municipality of Groningen must create sufficient parking space in a new apartment complex. This can be in the building or on your own property. As a result, the shortage of parking spaces in the district will not increase any further.
Two years ago, the municipality of Groningen made an exception for the plan of a project developer at the Verlengde Hereweg 1/1 location in Helpman-Noord. The developer wanted to build a residential complex with ‘stacked’ apartments between several neighboring buildings. New residents had to park their cars on the streets of Helpman.
‘Why this exception?’
Residents of the Verlengde Hereweg, Helper Westsingel and the Helperdiepje apartment complex objected to the environmental permit issued and went to court. During the hearing, they reminded the municipality of the requirement that a developer provide sufficient parking space on its own land. “The municipality thought it was fine to allow the residents of the new complex to park in the neighborhood. We didn’t understand that. It’s already full of cars here. Why this exception?”, says Sieny Koopman
The municipality tried to use counts to demonstrate that the scarce parking space in the neighborhood is not too bad. At certain times there would even be a surplus, giving new residents enough space to park (paid).
What do you mean to Euroborg?
Koopman: “It was even said that the owners of the new apartments could park in the Euroborg. No one believes that this is happening.” The judge also did not agree and annulled the permit. In an interim ruling, the judge said that the municipality had not sufficiently demonstrated that the exception that the municipality wanted to make is justified. The judge did give the municipality the opportunity to better substantiate the exception. It did not work.
Scarce parking space
Several new residential buildings will be built in Helpman-Noord. The municipality sees opportunities to fill empty spaces and is aiming for 600 new homes. Car owners are already concerned about the scarcity of parking space. Residents of Helpman-Noord are clear about the parking pressure. It will only get bigger.
During a meeting about the construction of a new residential complex on the former Horseshoe Factory, they expressed their doubts about the number of available parking spaces in this yet-to-be-built apartment complex. One resident said: “That could be too little. We fear the worst.”
The fact that a company in Helpman-Noord claimed and received multiple parking spaces is causing resentment. It only makes the scarcity even greater, according to the neighborhood. Another visitor to that meeting said: “At a certain point, people started driving around the neighborhood in the afternoon and evening to find a spot to park their car.”
‘Considering the new situation’
He himself found a garage in De Wijert by chance. “I quickly rented it. It is not next door, but it is doable.” A spokesperson for the municipality of Groningen confirms that the municipality will not appeal against the annulled environmental permit. The municipality does not know what will happen to the empty lot. “A new situation has arisen. We will consider that.”