Netherlands allocates €355m for links to nearly 30,000 planned homes

The Dutch government is making €355 million available for roads, cycle paths and public transport serving almost 30,000 planned homes across four major housing areas: Alkmaar, Apeldoorn, Helmond and Hengelo/Enschede. [1]

The areas were designated for large-scale housing development in 2025. Local authorities can use the funding to improve access to the new neighbourhoods, the government says.

The allocation comes within a wider €18 billion increase in investment in maintaining and renewing roads, bridges, railways and waterways. The government says it has weighed housing needs against the upkeep of existing infrastructure and other transport projects. Some projects will be paused because funding is lacking or they cannot currently be carried out. [1]

The government also plans to designate five further large-scale housing locations in its Nota Ruimte this autumn, with thousands of homes planned at each. It says future sites will be chosen partly for their proximity to jobs, to reduce the transport investment needed. [1]