Beyond the urban boundary: uncovering small-scale housing development in the Netherlands
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2025-06-27
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en
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The growing housing shortage in the Netherlands calls for effective housing solutions, particularly considering middle-income households and first-time buyers. Simultaneously, limited open space in the Netherlands must be preserved and used efficiently. Even though large-scale housing projects remain essential, small-scale developments outside urban boundaries (fewer than 12 houses) are increasingly seen as part of the solution. However, there is limited insight into the role and characteristics of these developments and to what extent they align with objectives of ‘good spatial planning’. This quantitative study uses the BAG, along with other Kadaster data, to analyse small-scale housing development projects outside urban boundaries in the Netherlands over the past ten years. A method for differentiating housing projects in the BAG lead to results indicating that small-scale developments have accounted for 12 percent of all housing construction outside urban areas. However, they primarily involve large, detached, owner-occupied houses on large plots, often excluding terraced and social rental housing. This does not align with objectives aiming for compact urban growth, efficient land use and inclusive housing. Smaller, clustered houses outside urban boundaries can lead to more efficient land use and promote equal access to housing resources.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen