Today, the Secretary of State for Defense, Amersfoort alderman Rutger Dijksterhuis (Spatial Planning), and officials from the Province of Utrecht, the municipalities of Leusden, Soest, and Zeist, the Vallei en Veluwe Water Board, and the Hoogheemraadschap De Stichtse Rijnlanden signed the Administrative Agreement Amersfoort to Zeist 2.0, along with three regional cluster agreements.
The agreements in the accord are based on the Area Perspective Amersfoort to Zeist. For the first time, this perspective broadly explored what is and isn’t possible in this area and which ambitions and challenges can be combined. The Area Perspective identifies three priority themes: soil and (ground)water, nature, and Defense. With these choices, the parties take the step from direction to coherent implementation and long-term administrative cooperation. There is explicit attention to regional and local challenges and tailored approaches per sub-area and municipality.
National security in conjunction with regional challenges
In the area between Amersfoort and Zeist lie several Defense locations, such as the Soesterberg military base and surrounding training grounds. It is an important region for the security of the Netherlands. Agreements have now been made to ensure that Defense can grow significantly at existing locations in the future. At the same time, the natural and landscape qualities of the area are protected and further strengthened. The growth task of Defense also contributes to other challenges such as employment, good accessibility, and sustainability.
Secretary of State Tuinman of Defense: “This signing is a military breakthrough on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. Defense must keep the Netherlands safe in a rapidly changing world. That requires space, speed, and cooperation. The Utrechtse Heuvelrug is one of the first regions where Defense cooperates on this scale in an area-oriented manner, and this strengthens our national security.”
From vision to implementation
With the signing of the Administrative Agreement and three cluster agreements for the sub-areas West, Middle, and East, the parties take the step toward implementation. These agreements specify which plans will be developed per sub-area, which studies are needed, and how decision-making and implementation will be phased. Residents, businesses, and other stakeholders are actively involved in this development.
Besides the redesign of Defense terrains, the parties on the Heuvelrug are working on measures for water infiltration, nature enhancement, and carefully managing housing, working, recreation, mobility, and other area functions.