Amersfoort, a prosperous historic town near Utrecht with a population of around 135,000, has developed three new settlements on its outskirts to provide over 20,000 new homes. The aim was to stay ‘small, beautiful and modest’, while taking advantage of the government’s Ten Year Vinex housing programme. Amersfoort is now designated as ‘one of the greenest cities in Europe’.
Amersfoort has won international acclaim as a sustainable city, for a number of reasons:
• Amersfoort City Council was determined that the city would retain its character and community whilst still fitting in with national policy, and worked hard to achieve this
• The new developments of Vathorst, Kattenbroek and Nieuwland aimed to set new standards in exemplary design, whilst maintaining high standards of social and environmental sustainability.
• The centre has been made car free, with local services and public transport links within walking distance of every new home.
• The municipality felt strongly that the new areas should be for everyone, “with no separation of poorer and richer households as had happened in Amersfoort in the past”.
Topics associated with this project
Eco-town, Energy, Environmental, Housing, International, Neighbourhood, Planning, Transport