The Northern Netherlands must build on its own strength for the future, says Chief Government Architect Francesco Veenstra. “Look less at the Randstad and more at what you have to offer.”
The Randstad is full, but according to Chief Government Architect Veenstra, the solution does not only lie in moving people and companies to the North. “We should not automatically think in terms of Randstad versus region. It is about regions using their own strengths. Find what makes the North unique and strengthen that. Make the region less dependent on the Randstad.”
The Chief Government Architect, who independently advises the government on how the Netherlands should be organized, says this in the third episode of the Stand van Noord-Nederland, which is about the spatial future of the North: where will housing be built, where will it be located, industry, agriculture, nature and other space users such as defense?
Being more self-sufficient means that the region must look at development differently, says Veenstra. Construction of a fast train connection to the Randstad should therefore not be a starting point, he believes. It is the perspective of the region itself that must come first. “The Lely line can help, but what is more important is that the North is attractive to live in, not just to travel to.”
Professor Theo Spek, landscape historian at the University of Groningen, is particularly concerned about the increasing pressure on space. “The landscape of the Northern Netherlands is of incredible importance for people, nature, agriculture and economy. We must carefully integrate developments.”
According to Spek, the North should not be built up indiscriminately. “Think area-oriented. Not everything can be done everywhere. We have places where larger-scale housing development is possible, such as around Assen, Hoogeveen or Emmen, but there are also areas that you simply have to spare. It has to be in balance, otherwise we will lose what makes the North so valuable: peace, space and quality.”
But for director Elze Klinkhammer of housing association Accolade, the need is dire: “Locations, locations, locations. We are desperately looking for that. The housing crisis is enormous. There is still a lot possible in the inner city, but ultimately you will also have to build outside the city. And yes, that sometimes means sacrificing pastures.”
But, she emphasizes, do so thoughtfully. “People don’t want apartments in Friesland, but houses with a garden. At the same time, we must ensure that facilities, care and public transport remain up to standard. We don’t just build bricks, we build communities.”
She also sees opportunities within the existing housing stock. Because only one person lives in eight out of ten social housing units. “We are experimenting with home sharing and splitting houses. This way you don’t have to fill up fields.”