Social rental housing on the site of the former community center in Assen

The apartment complex is partly four storeys high and partly seven storeys. The prices are below the rent subsidy limit. If everything goes according to plan, construction will start at the end of this year. At the end of 2023, the first residents could move into their apartment.

During the walk-in consultation hour on Monday, some residents of the neighborhood came to the municipality and Actium with questions. In general, they were positive and they understood that the flat has to be built. “Because because of the housing shortage you have to go up,” says one of the local residents.

In total, there will also be 32 parking spaces on the site. There were some concerns about this among several local residents. “It is already a drama with parking in Larch. That is also due to the various daycare centers and the vet,” says one resident. “There are cars all over the neighborhood. I even think that the fire brigade does not fit through some streets. That is just dangerous.”

It also creates an unsafe situation. In some places you should not encounter an oncoming vehicle, that causes problems. You cannot pass each other and there is little or no possibility to swerve. The residents are afraid that the nuisance will get worse with the arrival of the flat.

The municipality understands the concerns, but adheres to the guidelines that exist for parking. According to the guideline, a social rental apartment complex should be based on 0.9 cars per household. The municipality therefore thinks that the 32 parking spaces are enough for the flat.

In the meantime, something is being done about the parking problem. For example, the vet has realized a number of parking spaces on its own property and additional parking spaces have been created in the neighbourhood. Some of these disappear with the construction of the flat. These have to make way for the passageway and for the underground containers.

In 2015, the community center in Lriks was closed due to budget cuts in community and community centers in Assen. Protests were held at that time. But they got nothing.