Amsterdam buys NS land to keep 6,200 homes on track

Amsterdam has bought land from NS, which lets construction continue on 6,200 homes in the area between Duivendrecht station, the Johan Cruijff Arena and the A2 motorway. The NS plot has room for 2,100 homes and 250,000 square metres of facilities. The city is not making public how much it paid.

Alderman Alexander Scholtes called the purchase an important step. “The housing shortage demands speed. With the purchase of the NS land we can steer the development better and keep working on 6,200 homes, with space for work, sport and facilities,” he said.

Scholtes said the deal brings a large part of the project under the city's control alone. That simplifies the organisation and lets construction of homes start sooner, he said.

The district, until now called De Nieuwe Kern, is now named Amstelvoorde. Of the homes, 30% are to be social rent, 40% mid-priced rent and 30% free-sector rent. The first permanent homes are expected to be delivered in 2028.

Most Amstelvoorde homes are to be social or mid-priced rent

%

Most Amstelvoorde homes are to be social or mid-priced rent (%). Highest: Mid-priced rent, 40; lowest: Social rent, 30; 3 items. Source: Municipality of Amsterdam.

View data

Data: Most Amstelvoorde homes are to be social or mid-priced rent

Item	%
Social rent	30
Mid-priced rent	40
Free-sector rent	30

The city says it will earn the investment back by granting leasehold (erfpacht) on parts of the land to developers and housing corporations. That can happen after an urban plan, an investment decision and a change to the omgevingsplan, the local zoning plan.