The province of North Holland wants to help build more homes in less time. The province does this, for example, by encouraging municipalities to plan in parallel.

The province also focuses on the agreement good is good enough and speed counts. With this, the province aims to enable municipalities and builders to increase the construction pace to 23,500 homes per year until 2030. 

Deputy Jelle Beemsterboer: “It is important that we make use of all possibilities to build as many homes as possible. After all, many people are waiting for a home. We need to eliminate delays and think about what is possible. For example, parallel planning, where multiple steps are taken at once. This can save a lot of time.”

3 ways to accelerate housing construction

In North Holland, many people are waiting for a home. The province, municipalities, and builders are already working hard to accelerate housing construction. However, more needs to be done to achieve the set goals. Therefore, the province will do 3 things:

  1. Engage with municipalities on how more homes can be built in less time. The province encourages municipalities to experiment with parallel planning. With this planning method, different steps of the housing construction process are taken simultaneously instead of sequentially. This can save a lot of time. Additionally, the province encourages industrial building among municipalities. Here, components of a house or complete homes are made in a factory and then placed on the construction site. This makes building homes more efficient, cheaper, and more sustainable. Solutions for nitrogen will also be considered from the start of the housing construction process;
  2. Identify and solve problems on a regional scale to prevent delays. Think of grid congestion, nitrogen, and labor shortages. For example, the province has set up a Fast Track Housing Construction Desk. This team consists of experienced area developers, project leaders, and specialists who support municipalities;
  3. Strengthen collaboration with municipalities. It has been agreed to adhere to good is good enough and speed counts. Municipalities look at housing construction plans from different angles. Consider the layout of public areas, parking, and flora and fauna. Each component must achieve a high score, while they also partially compete with each other. More greenery can, for example, interfere with the number of parking spaces. It takes a lot of time to score high on all these components. Therefore, quicker decisions need to be made per housing project.

Existing actions

The province has already been working hard to accelerate housing construction through the Action Agenda Housing and Accelerating Housing Construction. Many actions have now been started or completed, with one of the most important components being the establishment of the Fast Track Housing Construction Desk. In addition, the province wants to set up a provincial or regional project office. By hiring experts, municipalities can be relieved in the management and planning preparation of projects. It is expected that this will enable faster housing construction in the coming time.

Furthermore, the action agenda includes actions for future-proof homes and neighborhoods that are comfortable, healthy, and safe. The province encourages this by sharing information and knowledge, making agreements, and granting subsidies. For example, meetings have been organized about the reuse of building materials and the promotion of industrial construction. This not only benefits speed and affordability but also leads to lower nitrogen emissions.