Council of State gives green light for Utrecht's new Red Light District

The Council of State rejected objections from Utrecht residents against the construction of a new prostitution zone along the river Vecht. Utrecht now has the green light to start construction on the Nieuwe Zandpad, NOS reports.

The municipality of Utrecht has been preparing for construction to start for several months. Real estate developer Beja Hoogeveen will build a complex with 162 prostitution windows. A number of residents of the Antoniuskwartier turned to the Council of State with their concerns that such a large complex near their neighborhoond will cause problems.

But the Council of State ruled that Utrecht made a reasonable decision based on research when they picked the location on Einsteindreef. And the decision for 162 windows was also reasonable as the previous prostitution district - prostitution boats on Zandbad and windows in Hardenbollenstraat - also consisted of 162 windows. The Council considers it possible that visitors to the Nieuwe Zandpad may end up in the Antoniouskwartier, but it doesn't expect unacceptable prostitution- and drug-related problems.

The municipality of Utrecht withdrew the prostitution licenses for boats on Vecht in 2013 and later also for buildings in the city center due to indications of human trafficking and exploitation.