Amsterdam plan to convert bridgekeeper’s homes into hotels unnerves SP

SP councilor Tiers Bakker and residents' association Ikbenamsterdam launched an online petition to fight against Amsterdam's plans to turn bridge-keeper's homes in the city into small hotel rooms. The councilor and association have several objections to the plan. They feel that Amsterdam residents played no role in the decision to convert the 28 bridge-keeper homes. They believe that the community role of these homes will disappear and that the municipality chose for economic value instead of social value. Finally this decision goes against the "hotel stop" the municipality decreed and shows that it opted for economic value instead of social value. The petitioners ask that the municipality starts the converting process over and take Amsterdam residents into account in their decision. By 11:30 a.m. on Monday, 908 people signed the petition. According to local broadcaster AT5, the plans to convert the bridge-keeper's homes into hotel rooms have been around for years. But the first concrete steps to turn them into reality was only taken in recent weeks - several environmental permits for the conversion were applied for.