Weesp has only been part of Amsterdam for just a year, but in addition to the advantages, they are now also experiencing the disadvantages. The local politicians in Weesp are in fact concerned about the new construction plans of housing alderman Reinier van Dantzig. It wants to build 600 additional homes in the new residential area of Weespersluis, much to the dismay of a majority of the management committee in the urban area.
Weesp is in full development and construction is underway in various parts, including Weespersluis and the Cacaokwartier. Projections by the municipality show that the number of residents in the Weesp district will increase by half in ten years’ time from 19,000 to about 29,000. And that, according to the Weespers, has major consequences for local facilities.
For example, according to the local parties, more than four hundred children in Weespersluis are on the waiting list for childcare. Although the municipality is working on two additional locations, according to the Weespers there are far too few. A majority of the management committee therefore expressed a negative opinion yesterday about the plans of the municipality to further densify the western part of the Weespersluis district.
‘Overflow’
“It is incomprehensible that the council is acting as if nothing is going on in Weesp,” says committee member Mathijs Petri of the local WSP. The other areas in Weesp cannot handle the overflow from Weespersluis.”
According to the VVD in Weesp, Van Dantzig’s plans have been causing great unrest for weeks. “The board committee has received three hundred emails from residents who do not understand anything about the plans. And to top it all off, the alderman also wants to introduce paid parking in the residential area, against existing agreements,” said VVD committee member Cor Bavink.
Response
Alderman Reinier van Dantzig says in a response that he is aware of the lack of shelter. “We are indeed working hard on this in Weesp with all parties.” Van Dantzig also says that space has been reserved for schools and shelters in the plans.
According to Van Dantzig, mainly terraced houses will be built and the apartment complexes that appear in the plans will not be higher than ‘6 to 7 layers.’
“Once the neighborhood is finished, we want to be sure that visitors and staff can still park,” the alderman finally promises. “In order to be able to regulate parking in the future, we must already take this into account in the plans.”
A final decision has yet to be made. “This discussion is currently taking place in Weesp, after which it is up to the municipal executive and the municipal council,” says Van Dantzig.