More Amsterdam high-risers needed to fight housing crisis: Construction firm

More high-rise buildings are needed in Amsterdam to compensate for the increasing housing shortage in the Dutch capital, Maxime Verhagen, chairman of Bouwend Nederland and former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs, said in an interview with the Telegraaf.

Verhagen calls for the brake on building high-risers to be lifted in the city. "Should you maintain that brake? That is the question if you want affordable housing in the middle segment."

According to him, the housing shortage in the Dutch capital is mainly a planning problem. "The number of permits that are being issued is 65 thousand, at least that is the expectation. The demand this year is 80 thousand. The planning capacity must definitely be expanded. I've been calling for that for years", he said to the newspaper. 

Verhagen isn't worried about the construction industry keeping up with demand. "If I get 80 thousand permits, they will be built. I am more concerned about how many permits are actually issued."