By signing the cooperation agenda on Wednesday evening, February 25, agreements were made for the future of the Kenniskwartier. Besides the Spoorzone, this should become Tilburgs second breeding ground where knowledge institutions, residents, and businesses meet.
The Kenniskwartier is the area between Ringbaan-West, Professor Cobbenhagenlaan, Tilburg University campus, Stadsbos013, and the Westermarkt. It is the largest inner-city area development in Tilburg. Already in 2022, it was designated by the national government as a large-scale residential construction area (NOVEX), where eventually 7,500 new homes and 7,500 new jobs will be created. As well as approximately 90,000 square meters of social and economic facilities.
“With our urban area developments, we help the twelve largest municipalities of Brabant prepare their city centers and station areas for the future,” says Deputy Stijn Smeulders. “These are complex projects where we as a province can contribute knowledge and gain experience. The Spoorzone in Tilburg is perhaps the ultimate example. We take the experience from then to the Kenniskwartier, where local ambitions and regional challenges come together. Naturally in the areas of living and working. But also talent development, sustainable mobility, clean energy, and better nature. We will tackle all of this here.”
In the first phase of the Kenniskwartier, which runs until 2030, about 5,000 new homes will be built. This year, possibilities for improving Tilburg University station, an important hub in the Kenniskwartier, will be investigated. We will also develop the development and financing strategies for the project this year to clarify in which parts the province has the most added value. The province contributes a maximum of 150,000 to the process costs for this planning phase. At a later stage, it will become clear in which parts of the Kenniskwartier the province will invest together with the municipality.
“We have been working closely together for years on urban development and mobility in Brabant. I am pleased that we can now connect this partnership to the largest area development in Tilburg,” says alderman Bas van der Pol (Urban development, economy, and environmental quality). “We will now concretely start with the renovation of Tilburg University station, a key project in the heart of the area that connects high-quality public transport to living quality, education, and work.”