The Dutch developers association Neprom has welcomed the government’s plan to inject €2bn into stimulating the building of new homes but has warned that efforts need to be made to make sure that the sector is less sensitive to economic swings and that the money should not be used for short-term gains.

‘During the crisis, development at a lot of locations was stopped and investment opportunities for both the private and public sector were limited,’ Neprom chairwoman and BPD area development director Desirée Uitzetter said in a reaction.

‘We are still coping with the fallout from that, and since then no major new locations have been earmarked for development. This is why the sector has not been able to increase production to reach the necessary 75,000 new homes a year. So this effort from the government is very necessary.’

Neprom suggests spreading the €2bn over a 10 to 15-year period to ensure production is stable over a longer period. Developers say the money should be linked to regional investment agendas drawn up by local authorities, the private sector and social campaign groups.

‘Increasing the provision of new housing must be linked to investment in the necessary infrastructure, the energy transition, other measures connected to climate change and in strengthening the green and blue structures of cities and their surroundings,’ Ms Uitzetter said.

(Read the press release – Dutch)