Fieldwork in the Netherlands

Our team member Josje Bouwmeester is currently in the Netherlands doing fieldwork for the GoverDENSE project. For the past two weeks, she has been looking into the project of Rijnhuizen in the city of Nieuwegein. Rijnhuizen is an ongoing transformation project targeting vacant office buildings. As landownership is highly fragmented, the municipality decided in 2014 to redevelop the area using a so-called organic approach. If owners and developers are interested, they can approach the municipality to negotiate under which terms they can redevelop their plot. How many housing units will be constructed?  How energy-efficient will the building be? How much will the owners contribute to the development of public space in the area? The outcomes of these discussions are then solidified in a private law contract. Lastly, an environmental permit (omgevingsvergunning) is issued, allowing developers to deviate from the office zone as indicated in the land use plan. In total, the municipality hopes to add 2,500 new housing units in the area.

During her fieldwork, Josje hopes to find out more about how the negotiations between public authorities and landowners affect the outcomes of the redevelopment.