Innovative approach for one of Rotterdam’s districts

Public and private parties are cooperating in revitalizing Rotterdam’s district ‘Tarwewijk’

To increase the quality of life in one of Rotterdam’s district, ‘Tarwewijk’, the municipality approached three market parties to renovate the housing supply in this district. On December 4, 2002 Amstelland Ontwikkeling, Bouwfonds Wonen and housing corporation ‘de Nieuwe Unie’ signed a letter of intent with Ontwikkelingsbedrijf Rotterdam.



Presently Amstelland Ontwikkeling, Bouwfonds Wonen and ‘de Nieuwe Unie’ are working out a business plan for the ‘Tarwewijk’ district- This plan will indicate under which circumstances and within which financial and legal constraints part of the housing supply will be acquired and renovated. In order to have a better understanding, all parties concerned are undertaking a feasibility study for the various locations. Some months ago Amstelland Ontwikkeling, Bouwfonds Wonen and ‘de Nieuwe Unie’ already acquired 120 houses in the ‘Tarwewijk’. Until 2012-2015 some 1,650 houses will have to be renovated. It is the intention to finalize the business plan by mid-2003 and present the final agreement. Parties are looking for long-term relationships.

Integral approach
Over the next few years substantial investments will be made in the ‘Tarwewijk’ on the initiative of the Municipality of Rotterdam and the district of Charlois. The district of Charlois has started an integral approach. Presently the project agency is balancing the requirements between the physical, social and economic needs of the district and safety. Also within Rotterdam’s Municipality the ‘Tarwewijk’ will have the extra attention, noticeably in the area of safety and quality of life.

Market research
New in this approach is the involvement of market parties in the redevelopment of a part of the real estate. This way the knowledge, expertise and means of market parties is combined with those of the local authorities. The private parties want to meet the market’s future demands in respect of the supply of housing.

The innovative character of the approach of the ‘Tarwewijk’ – noticeably the public-private cooperation in a difficult pre-war district – lead the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment to allocate a subsidy of EUR 4.6 mln.

(source: Amstelland MDC)

Related News