More than half of the 550 building projects in The Hague's portfolio are being postponed or cancelled. The Hague Municipal Executive says that a lack of money is the reason.
The Hague had 230 million reserved for building plans for the 2010-2014 period. The recession means that The Hague now has 54 million less and is reserving 15 million for unforeseen circumstances.
Approximately 300 employees working at the Department of Urban Development will lose their jobs.
The Municipal Executive is emphasizing that it is favoring building projects which contribute to the city's economic development, accessibility and quality of life.
'Core' zone
Building projects in the so-called 'core' zone, which falls within a swath running from Scheveningen Harbour through the International Zone and the city center to the Rotterdamsebaan, will get top priority as they are vital to the local economy. Of the 550 projects, a total of 200 will go ahead as scheduled. A similar number of plans are dependent upon project developers and housing corporations. The municipality is holding talks on these projects with the parties in question. 60 projects are being postponed and about 75 projects will be wrapped up quickly and finished off.
Expedited projects
The Municipal Executive aims to expedite developments in and around the Central station and Hollands Spoor and in the city center (for example, the Wijnhavengebied).
The construction of the Rotterdamsebaan (the new partially tunneled connecting road between the A4/A13 and city center) should go ahead, just as the construction of houses around the Leeuwenbergh golf course (Vlietzone-Zuid). The priority neighborhoods (krachtwijken) will also remain high on the agenda if the future Dutch cabinet does not end the financing for these areas.
Postponed
Both large areas of development as well as small projects will fall victim to the city's financial problems. The integral approach to a development zone for Erasmusveld/Leyweg, Kijkduin, Scheveningen beach and Transvaal/Lijn 11 will be put on ice. The city had large-scale plans to turn Erasmusveld/Leyweg into a sustainable neighborhood with 750 new homes which would meet their own energy needs through natural and clean sources of energy.
Plans to construct 2,000 homes in the Transvaal/Lijn 11 development zone have also been put on the back burner.
The approach to Binckhorst will only go ahead in so long as it is relevant to the Rotterdamsebaan.
All of this means that the municipality will no longer play an active managerial role and will no longer make large-scale investments, but will take on a facilitating role. Project developers and private companies will be given the opportunity to take charge of developments in the city.
Source: Gemeente Den Haag www.denhaag.com
