Netherlands could create 60,000 homes by transforming office buildings near highways

The Netherlands can create homes for over 60,000 households by transforming office buildings on the edges of cities and close to highways, according to real estate advisor Colliers. Offices in these areas are increasingly empty because they no longer meet companies’ needs.

The Dutch government wants to build 980,0000 homes by 2030 and likely another million in the years after that to fight the housing shortage. But those ambitions are proving very hard to achieve. Finding the land, preparing it, and building houses takes a lot of time. The overcrowded electricity grid is an additional stumbling block.

Colliers identified 18 highway locations where the government could turn increasingly vacant office buildings into housing. The approximately 3.8 million square meters of office space can make room for over 60,000 homes. For comparison, Leiden has about 64,000 homes.

“Although housing construction close to highways is still unusual, a project like The Mayor on the A9 near Amstelveen proves that it is possible,” Colliers housing expert Madeline Buijs said. There, the former KPMG office made room for over 300 homes. “In these times of housing shortage, it is high time to take this option seriously.”

“Housing construction in these places has the advantage that a large part of the infrastructure and utilities are already in place,” Buijs said. “In addition, converting an existing location is faster than designating and building new residential areas in green areas, and it is also cheaper.”

Noord-Holland has the most office buildings that can be converted. Potentially 25,000 new homes can be created in the province. “That would drastically reduce the current shortage of 77,500 homes,” Colliers said.

In Zuid-Holland, Colliers’ plan could reduce the housing shortage by 26 percent. The province of Utrecht has fewer suitable locations, with space for only 6,500 potential homes. “Yet the impact on the shortage could be significant with a decrease of 20 percent,” Colliers said.

The real estate advisor added that the number of potential homes can be increased even further through demolition, new construction, and densification. “Municipalities and provinces can quickly make housing construction possible through clear communication, accelerated procedures, taking soundproofing measures, and investments in public transport,” Colliers said.