rssOct 28, 2026, 13:46

'Convenient trick' by Reinout Oerlemans in Raamplein plans is the last straw for district: "Adjust the rules"

The Amsterdam district committee is pushing to close a loophole in the 40-40-20 housing rule after developer Reinout Oerlemans gained approval for a ten-unit luxury project at Raamplein. By building fewer than eleven apartments, the project avoids requirements for social and mid-range housing, prompting concerns from local groups regarding affordability and urban aesthetics.

The Amsterdam City Center district committee is calling for stricter building regulations following a controversial development project by Reinout Oerlemans at the Raamplein. The developer plans to build ten luxury apartments on the site of a former school, a move that bypasses the city's standard 40-40-20 housing distribution rule. This regulation requires new projects to include a specific percentage of social and mid-range housing, but it currently provides an exemption for projects consisting of fewer than eleven units. Critics, including local neighborhood associations and the VVAB, argue that the development is out of character with the historical surroundings and exacerbates the lack of affordable housing in the city center.

The district committee alleges that the developer deliberately reduced the project size from eighteen to ten units to exploit this legal loophole. They are now urging the municipal government to amend the rules before the adoption of the 2029 Housing Plan to prevent similar situations in the future. Despite significant local opposition and formal objections regarding the building's design, the city has already granted an environmental permit for the luxury project.

Politics Economy Business Amsterdam

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Based on reporting by rss. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.

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