EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Commercial premises to improve neighbourhood livability

Commercial premises to improve neighbourhood livability - Maastricht, the Netherlands

Introduction

The City of Maastricht and the housing association ‘Woningstichting Servatius’ have developed the plan Redevelopment of Wittevrouwenveld, together with the neighbourhood, to improve the quality of life and the environment in the neighbourhood. A number of subsidiary projects, including ‘Commercial premises in the Frankenstraat’, are giving a significant impetus to the livability of the neighbourhood.

Description

The aim of the project ‘Commercial premises in the Frankenstraat’ is to convert empty shops and other commercial property into housing and commercial premises for start-up businesses, in order to improve the socio-economic situation in the Maastricht district of Wittevrouwenveld.

Approach

Former retail premises are being renovated as offices and studios, with housing in the form of apartments or student rooms on the floors above. The project will provide start-up businesses in the city with urgently needed commercial premises.

Results

The provision of housing above commercial premises will stimulate the exchange of knowledge and experience amongst business people. The socio-economic situation in the neighbourhood will be improved through the stimulation of new economic activity in previously empty or newly empty shops.

Resources used

European subsidy: € 921.000
Total cost: € 3.684.000

EU involvement

This project has been partially funded with Objective 2 funds. Since 2000 nine cities have been eligible for the Objective 2 Urban Areas in the Netherlands programme, which forms part of the European Fund for Regional Development (EFRD) of the European Union. EFRD is one of the four Structural Funds of the European Commission. The programme helps cities to carry out projects that benefit disadvantaged areas.

In the Netherlands, total European Objective 2 subsidies concern 192 million euros. 4.25% of the Dutch population lives in the selected areas.

The European Commission prescribes that for every euro from the EFRD, a minimum of one euro must be contributed from the government. The cities must therefore add their own public or private funding to the European subsidy. The European programme is linked to the urban plans agreed within the context of the urban policy of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. For this, the cities can make use of funds that have been allocated to them in the context of the national urban policy.

Contact info

Maastricht Noord - local programme management
Phone: +31 43 3504784

Project start date

01/11/2003

Links

City of Maastricht

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Urban environment > Urban renewal

Keywords

City centre development