Amsterdam has designated 12 locations around the city as potential sites for the construction of new housing in 2016. If these plans are realised, it could mean the addition of 12.000 new homes in the coming years.

Amsterdam gains an average of 11.000 new residents every year, and the city is working hard to keep up with the demand for more rental properties and apartments for purchase. In 2015, construction started on more than 8.000 new apartments.

50.000 new homes by 2025

In order to keep up this growth and to relieve some of the pressure on the housing market, the city has begun to investigate all possible sites where new apartments can be built.

These 12 locations are but a small portion of Koers 2025 (Course 2025), the ambitious housing plan which the city of Amsterdam has laid out for itself.

The goal of the new housing strategy, which was presented by the city in early January 2016, is to enable the construction of 50.000 homes by 2025.

Next step

City officials are now tasked with shaping the definitive plans for new construction based on the 12 proposed locations. As soon as the city council gives its stamp of approval, construction can begin, at the very latest in 2020.

Continued recovery of housing market

The ambitious plans in Amsterdam come at a time when the Dutch housing market is showing signs of continued recovery.

Prices of apartments for sale on the Amsterdam housing market rose by more than 17 percent in the last quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014.

For the country as a whole, the increase was five percent, according to data published by NVM (Nederlandse Vereniging van Makelaars), the Dutch association of realtors.

The areas in red contain the 12 proposed locations for new construction.
Source: RVE Ruimte&Duurzaamheid

The average selling price of a Dutch house is still about 10 percent lower than before the financial crisis, according to NVM. On the other hand, it’s also 10 percent higher than at the lowest point during the economic recession.

The number of houses that changed owners went up by 15 percent compared to 2014.

The first 12 locations for Koers 2025

The locations selected by the Amsterdam city council for potential development are:
› Buiksloterham
› Sloterdijk-1-Zuid
› IJsbaanpad-Zuid
› Bijlmer prison - Weespertrekvaart
› NDSM East
› Kop Sloterplas
› Amstelstation - Amstelzijde
› IJburg Middeneiland - Strandeiland Phase 1
› NDSM-Noord/Klaprozenweg
› IBM area
› Amstel quarters Phase 3
› Rand Mandelapark