EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Heerlen: Stimulating commercial activities in Heerlerheide Centrum

Heerlen: Stimulating commercial activities in Heerlerheide Centrum

Introduction

The project will provide important restructuring of the area. A number of new buildings are being realised, including a cultural centre, a care home, around 4000 m2 commercial space and a schools complex. The function of the square is being extended and a new underground car park is being built.

Problem

The aim of the project is to improve the living and working environment in Heerlerheide Centrum. The total project will create a high-quality urban development in the areas of housing, commercial facilities, culture and service provision. Efforts are being made to attract SME businesses with the aid of an improved infrastructure and more green spaces.

Description

During the nineties the centre of the Heerlerheide district fell into a downward spiral. The neighbourhood became increasingly impoverished. Households with a higher spending power were moving out, too much cheap housing remained, the image of the neighbourhood went down and there was a degree of degradation in the public areas. As the level of facilities went down the local people began to have a low perception of the quality of their living environment. To combat this adverse development requires an integrated vision and strong, qualitative intervention in the urban development structure.

Approach

The spearheads within the Heerlen programme document are:

Innovative neighbourhood philosophy: links between policy levels (regional and local level) in the approach to problem areas.
Neighbourhood development programmes: promoting self-activation in the neighbourhoods.
Following on from and fitting in with the developments and innovation pilots from government.
Station district Centrum-Noord: station district is pilot point between the privileged and the under-privileged.
Working on self-awareness and improving one's image.

Results

The physical measures and interventions will create facilities that will in turn develop commercial activity in the district, with the aspects of habitability and urban regeneration playing a significant role. New SME businesses will be attracted to the district and new jobs will be created.

EU involvement

URBAN II is an initiative of the European Commission. The aim is to support innovative projects in the field of urban regeneration in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The URBAN II projects will set an example for national urban policy. In the Netherlands, areas in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Heerlen have been allocated for the period 2000-2006.In Amsterdam the URBAN II programme is being carried out in eight neighbourhoods from four city districts (West binnen de Ring), with a total of 63,000 inhabitants. In Heerlen the URBAN II project involves six neighbourhoods with a total of 43,806 inhabitants, in the north and east of the city.

Financing

European subsidy: € 907.560
Total cost: € 4.364.465

Contact info

The local programme management, tel. +31 45 5604209

Project start date

25/01/2001

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment > Urban economy

Keywords

Business support