One side thinks it is ridiculous to ‘give away’ such expensive land for social housing, the other side feels this is simply the right thing to do. Zuidas’s Deputy Director, Robert Dijckmeester shares his own views on this important theme.
Variation of homes
‘My involvement with Zuidas dates back to its earliest beginnings, in 1998. The intention was always to develop a mixed area, also in terms of the types of housing involved. This vision is not restricted to expensive houses alone, it also includes homes that are just as diverse as the people of Amsterdam. Homes in which police officers, nurses, civil servants, teachers and other middle-income groups would certainly feel at home. So, in addition to penthouses with panoramic views, there will be studio apartments, social housing, student accommodation, and homes for middle-income residents. These 7000 new homes mean that, by 2030, Zuidas will have a completely different look and feel than it does today’.
Social housing accounts for 30% of the programme, while a further 30% will be private sector rental property. At least half of those private sector homes must be available to middle-income occupants. The remaining 40% will be reserved for sale.
Loss of income and a higher purpose
In recent months, it has been widely reported in the media that the construction of social housing in Zuidas would deprive the City of Amsterdam of income, to the tune of tens of millions of euros. Mr Dijckmeester points out that ‘It is true that the construction of social housing will involve a loss of leasehold income for the city authorities. The City of Amsterdam earns money, in the form of leasehold, by releasing land for the development of housing and offices. In terms of euros, offices currently yield more income than homes and private sector housing yields more than social housing. The issue, of course, is whether or not that is a problem. As a council, we do not focus purely on yields in an economic sense, we also take an area’s social objectives into account. That was why the Zuidas Vision policy document was drawn up.’
‘Whatever the case, our goal is that Zuidas must be more than just a high-end office location. Because, even after the end of the working day, we want people to be out and about on the streets – those who live there and those who are there to enjoy themselves. That energizes an area.’
Gateway to Amsterdam
Constructing a unique Amsterdam city district is a complex and demanding undertaking, but we have the Vision policy document to chart our course. What we are developing here is not just a new residential area and an international business district – Zuidas is also destined to become the most important gateway to Amsterdam, next to Central Station. After all, we badly need to improve accessibility by road and rail, and Zuidasdok is the key. Also, once you arrive in Zuidas, we want everyone – residents and visitors alike – to enjoy the energy and dynamism of its streets. That is, perhaps, our biggest challenge, to create a lively area that is also a nice place in which to live.’ In short, Zuidas must be a place where a wide-range of residents and visitors feel entirely at home.
Current state of affairs
To date, around 1,950 homes have been completed. These are divided into 13 residential blocks. They include owner-occupied properties and rental properties (for middle-income occupants), as well as 800 student accommodation units (Ravel Residence). Another development, consisting of around 800 homes, is currently under construction. This includes social housing (Eigen Haard), owner-occupied properties and rental properties.
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