Four largest Dutch cities to get 27% of planned new homes

More than a quarter of the Netherlands’ planned new homes are set to be built in its four largest municipalities, up from 18% over the past five years, according to research by the Dutch Land Registry (Kadaster).

The figures cover homes that have already received permits or are under construction. Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague together account for 27% of planned building in the coming years, the Kadaster says. Most homes are currently being built in the Randstad and North Brabant, with construction in the province concentrated around Eindhoven, Tilburg, Breda and Den Bosch.

Apartments are expected to make up three-quarters of the homes built in the coming years, compared with about half over the past five years. Among homes for sale, the apartment share is projected to rise from 17% to 42%.

The planned apartments are also smaller on average. Ten years ago, 22% were larger than 90 square metres; for homes planned for the coming years, the share is 13%. In the four largest cities, the average number of apartments per building is expected to rise from 15 a decade ago to 38.

The shift towards smaller homes also applies to houses designed for families: 22% of those still to be built are under 100 square metres, compared with 9% five to ten years ago.

The figures describe the composition and location of planned construction, rather than the number of homes already completed.