Valkenburg secures 28 plots for future housing to prevent land speculation
Valkenburg aan de Geul has taken control of 28 plots in key areas to ensure affordable and well-planned housing development. This move protects residents from rising costs due to land speculation and guarantees homes align with community needs.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Municipality | Valkenburg aan de Geul |
| Number of plots | 28 |
| Areas involved | Houthem-Sint Gerlach, Sibbe-IJzeren, Berg en Terblijt |
| Duration of pre-emptive right | Maximum of 3 years |
| Purpose | Prevent land speculation, ensure controlled housing development |
| Housing Programme | 2025–2030 |
| Decision date | February 23, 2026 |
The municipality of Valkenburg aan de Geul is responsible for urban planning and housing development within its jurisdiction. By establishing a pre-emptive right, it ensures that future housing projects align with local policies and the needs of its residents.
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Municipality establishes pre-emptive right for promising housing construction locations
Posted on Monday, March 2, 2026
The municipality has drawn up a Housing Programme 2025–2030. In this programme, we explain how we intend to address housing over the coming years. It covers questions such as: for whom will we build homes, where can they be located, and how can we ensure that Valkenburg aan de Geul remains a pleasant place to live?
The Housing Programme can be consulted via the following link:
The Housing Programme identifies locations where new homes may be built by 2030. These include four areas in Houthem-Sint Gerlach, Sibbe-IJzeren and Berg en Terblijt.
To implement these plans effectively, the council established a pre-emptive right on 23 February 2026 covering 28 plots in these areas. This means that if a landowner wishes to sell their property, the municipality has the first right of purchase. The municipality is taking this step to prevent land speculation and to retain control over where and how housing is developed. This will enable the municipality to ensure that housing construction aligns with its plans and the wishes of residents.
The pre-emptive right will apply for a maximum of three years.
The plots subject to the provisional pre-emptive right can be viewed in the attached documents.
- Municipal Gazette 2026 (PDF, 243.7 kB)
- Council note on the establishment of a pre-emptive right for promising housing construction locations, including signatures (PDF, 949.9 kB)
- Note responding to objections (PDF, 166.4 kB)
- Pre-emptive right decision G (PDF, 2.7 MB)
- Map of pre-emptive right decision RN municipality of Valkenburg aan de Geul, development location_G (PDF, 632.4 kB)
- Pre-emptive right decision H (PDF, 1.5 MB)
- Map of pre-emptive right decision RN municipality of Valkenburg aan de Geul, development location_H (PDF, 536.0 kB)
- Pre-emptive right decision J (PDF, 1.6 MB)
- Map of pre-emptive right decision RN municipality of Valkenburg aan de Geul, development location_J (PDF, 524.1 kB)
- Pre-emptive right decision L (PDF, 2.4 MB)
- Map of pre-emptive right decision RN municipality of Valkenburg aan de Geul, development location_L (PDF, 612.8 kB)