'Housing construction requires political expertise'
Publication, Area and Property Development
Municipal elections have a greater impact on area development than is often assumed. While not always visible, their influence is clearly felt in both the pace of projects and the decision-making process. For its February edition, ROmagazine interviewed Jan Ruitenberg, Director of Development Management at VanWonen. He shares his insights on how municipal elections influence area development. His message is clear: housing construction requires political expertise, an understanding of how things are interconnected and an eye for continuity.
‘In the run-up to the elections, a sense of urgency sometimes arises among administrators. They want to get certain things done, and as a result, decision-making suddenly accelerates,’ says Jan Ruitenberg.
After the elections, that dynamic often changes. New coalitions set different priorities. ‘Projects don’t come to a complete standstill, but procedures can be delayed, especially when it comes to sensitive issues such as parking or housing types.’
According to Ruitenberg, the complexity of area development is often underestimated. ‘Area development seems simple, but everything is interconnected: from land development to sustainability, mobility and phasing. You can’t look at issues in isolation; you have to make integrated decisions.’
Partnering with municipal councils
Discussions about housing categories, for example, can have a major impact on the feasibility. ‘During the fleshing out of projects, political discussions still take place on occasion. This can jeopardize the project’s viability.’
Clear frameworks and an understanding of consequences are essential. ‘If you go all-in on affordability, something else has to give – whether it’s sustainability, parking solutions or land revenues.’
Ruitenberg notes that VanWonen strives to partner with municipal councils to navigate these trade-offs. ‘This allows us to clarify the interests at stake in these projects, while also highlighting the inherent dilemmas. In practice, we often see a ‘stacking’ of ambitions. It has to be sustainable and affordable. These competing demands don’t make a project more feasible. We like to discuss the right balance and trade-offs with council members.’
The full publication (In Dutch) can be read on the website of ROmagazine.
