The municipality of Utrecht and owners of the wharf, vault, and street cellars are joining forces to preserve the historical wharf area. At the request of the owners, the municipality is taking on the role of contractor for the restoration of the centuries-old cellars. This is unique, as it is rare for a government to take over the contracting role. The cellar owners contribute an average of 20 percent of the restoration costs. With todays decision, the council follows the advice of cellar owners regarding a scheme for cellar restoration. Restoring the Utrecht wharf area is necessary to keep the area safe and preserved for the coming decades, so we can continue to enjoy it in the future.
Wim van Gelder, chairman of the owners association De Utrechtse Werfkelders: “It is wonderful that a working group of cellar owners has succeeded in coming to a comprehensive advice to the council through mutual consultation and with the municipality. Thus, we were able to help shape the scheme. This has led to discussions not only about the distribution of costs but also about relieving cellar owners during the restoration, guarantees during execution, and agreements on what happens in case of disagreements. The working group is confident that this scheme lays a solid foundation for the collaboration in restoring our heritage for the next 25 years.”
Relieving Burdens
For the past 3 years, together with cellar owners, we have explored how the scheme could be implemented. Owners indicated that it is very complicated for them to restore the historical cellars themselves. Due to the technique, but also because the cellars are intertwined with the quay and vault walls, street, wharf, drainage, and cables and pipes that are on or in the cellar. In addition, the municipality wishes to carry out the various tasks as much as possible simultaneously. At the suggestion of the cellar owners, the municipality will be the contractor for the work on the cellars. The municipality arranges everything: the inspection of the cellar, tendering of the contractor, planning and execution of the work, coordination with the owners of the adjacent cellars, and coordination with the work on cables and pipes.
Councilor Streefland: “I am very happy and proud that we have reached a definitive scheme in close and pleasant collaboration with the cellar owners. With this, we take our responsibility for heritage and our neighborly duty. I find it an attractive scheme that provides cellar owners with a lot of financial certainty in advance. Together with the cellar owners, we have found the best middle ground between fairness, simplicity, and certainty in advance.”
A contractor works on the vault wall and cellars at the Kromme Nieuwegracht.
Own Contribution
The restoration of a cellar costs a lot of money: between € 160,000 and € 350,000. The cellar owners pay a personal contribution to the restoration of the cellars. The municipality covers an average of 80 percent of the restoration costs, and the cellar owner 20 percent – just like the temporary subsidy scheme that was in effect during the research phase. When determining the contribution, account is taken of the size of a cellar and the amount of restoration work needed. The personal contribution for a small cellar with little damage is lower than for a large cellar with significant damage. Owners who have tax benefits, such as some entrepreneurs, pay a higher gross contribution. For cellars that are so low or small that the owner can hardly use them, a smaller contribution applies. There is also a loan available through the Utrecht Werven Fund at a low interest rate.
Smart Planning
The scheme paves the way for a smarter approach to the work on the wharf area as a whole. By combining the restoration of the cellars with the maintenance of the wharf and vault walls, drainage, street, cables, and pipes, the work causes less inconvenience in the city center. The risk of damage in the surrounding area is smaller, and the work ultimately costs less time and money. Each year, the municipality plans 4 years in advance which section of the canal will be tackled. Cellar owners can register their cellar for restoration; the municipality then determines which cellars, walls, cables, and pipes have the highest priority. Once a cellar is on the 4-year plan, the municipality contacts the owner. In urgent cases, it remains possible to restore an individual cellar quickly.
Preserving the historical wharf area for the future.
Everyone on Board
Cellar owners and the municipality had already agreed in 2024 on the principles of the scheme. The municipal council unanimously established these on December 12, 2024. A working group from the association De Utrechtse Werfkelders (DUW), cellar owners, and the municipality has elaborated the principles into advice to councilor Rachel Streefland. In addition, the municipality has gauged the opinion of the cellar owners with information meetings and an online questionnaire. The college of B and W has fully adopted the advice of the working group in its decision. The municipality will need until the end of this year to prepare everything for implementation. Cellar owners will remain involved and will regularly evaluate the scheme together with the municipality.
Read here the summary of the scheme
Read here the letter to the municipal council
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