There will be a new subsidy scheme that helps people and companies to convert existing buildings into homes or to divide larger houses into smaller homes.
This scheme starts in January 2025 and runs until 2027, with a budget of 3 million euros.
The aim is to build 16,200 new homes in the coming years, of which 6,600 homes by splitting large houses or converting empty buildings. These new homes are mainly intended for people who have difficulty finding a home, such as young people looking for their first home, singles and the elderly.
Since 2019, attempts have been made to divide homes and convert buildings, but this did not happen often. This is because there are many rules and the costs for applying for a permit are often high. The province of Drenthe hopes that the new subsidy will solve these problems. Municipalities, housing associations and developers can apply for between 5,000 and 10,000 euros per home to make it easier to split houses.
With this scheme, the province wants to ensure that more homes are created more quickly for people who have difficulty finding a home. The subsidy is intended to supplement other subsidies that already exist, such as for cohabitation in housing initiatives and solving financial problems in housing projects.
However, the difference between municipalities remains large, for example when it comes to how many square meters a home must have in order to be subdivided. The province does not want to impose rules that are the same for all municipalities, but does want to help make the rules easier everywhere.
The subsidy is available to municipalities. In addition, they can apply for the scheme on behalf of third parties, such as initiators of a house division, corporations or project developers.