New Construction of the Boerderij Concert Hall

Poppodium Boerderij is a major music venue in Zoetermeer that attracts regional, national, and international artists and visitors. To maintain Poppodium Boerderij’s strong position, expansion and further professionalization are necessary.

Feasibility Study

In 2025, the feasibility study for the new construction of Poppodium Boerderij began. The study is examining whether the plans to expand and professionalize Poppodium Boerderij are feasible. To this end, the municipality, in collaboration with Poppodium Boerderij, has drawn up a business plan. This has been translated into a concrete set of specifications for the new building.

The current venue capacity of up to 750 visitors no longer meets growing demand. In addition, the current building lacks sufficient accessibility features and the capacity to accommodate the desired programming. For this reason, the decision was made to explore the possibility of a new building that would:

  • a large auditorium that can accommodate up to 1,300 visitors, including 250 seats
  • a small hall with a capacity of up to 400 people
  • a live music venue with a capacity of up to 200 guests
  • The Casa coffee shop and the current rehearsal spaces are part of the new building

The proposed location for the new building is between Gymworld and the current Poppodium.

Programming

With the new construction, Poppodium Boerderij is evolving into a future-proof music venue with a broader lineup and more space for visitors. The number of visitors is expected to increase from approximately 50,000 to over 113,000 per year. Poppodium Boerderij plans to expand its program to include “indoor festivals,” major and “up-and-coming” Dutch artists, educational activities, and talent development in collaboration with the city’s schools and music schools. Good practice and rehearsal spaces are essential for this talent development. That is why they are part of the new building, ensuring that this important function is preserved.

Preferred Option

In the fall of 2025, the municipality selected one of several design options (A through D) for the new building. The options examined included both a single-level design, with both halls and the stage café on the ground floor, and a multi-level design, with the halls spread across several floors. Various sustainability measures were also taken into consideration. The city council approved Option A, which places both auditoriums and the stage café on the ground floor, resulting in lower sustainability costs.

Connection to the Voorweg Centrum Area Development

The Boerderij Music Venue is part of the Voorweg Centrum area development. Until now, preparations for both developments have largely been carried out separately, because plans for the new Boerderij building were initiated earlier. There are many advantages to developing both plans together. This approach allows for better coordination of decisions regarding the building, its functions, public space, accessibility, and parking. This offers opportunities to enhance the quality of the area and ensures that the various functions can reinforce one another.

On September 22, 2026, the Municipal Executive ( board of mayor and aldermen , B&W) decided on a joint approach to the area development. As part of this, the Poppodium Boerderij will be developed as the first sub-area, based on various options for the overall area development. For more information: Voorweg Centrum Area Development

Participation with local residents

We believe it is important to involve residents who live near the development and to gather their ideas and concerns. This fall of 2026, the municipality will organize an initial meeting about the Voorweg Centrum area development, including the new construction of Poppodium Boerderij. Local residents will receive an invitation to this meeting in October.

Questions and answers about new building Poppodium Boerderij

Why is there going to be a new building for Poppodium Boerderij?

Poppodium Boerderij (hereafter the Boerderij) aims to maintain its good position in the national and international concert market and wants to maintain and strengthen its position in competition with other pop venues. To achieve this, according to the Boerderij, an increase in attendance and further professionalization of the premises is necessary.

Will the building be very different from what is there now?

The Boerderij's new building plans to have a large auditorium for 1,300 visitors (including 250 seats), a smaller auditorium for 400 visitors and a stage café, which will have space for 200 visitors. In addition, coffee shop Casa will remain in the new situation, as will the six practice rooms. The building will be located on the vacant lot next to the current Boerderij.

What will the environment around Farmhouse look like?

The new Boerderij building will be constructed between the current Boerderij building and Gymworld. The entire lot will be occupied by the new building and its facilities. The new construction is part of the Voorweg Centrum area development plan, which also includes the public transportation hub, for example. In the coming period, plans will be developed for the entire area and how Boerderij will fit into it.

What stage is the construction of the new Poppodium Boerderij at?

The new Poppodium Boerderij building has been in the feasibility phase since February 2, 2025. The feasibility study is intended to determine whether the plans for the new Boerderij building are realistic and feasible. Various factors are being considered, such as the desired program, available space in the surrounding area, and financial feasibility. The first steps in this process have been taken, and work is underway to integrate the project into the spatial plan as part of the Voorweg Centrum area development.

What will happen to Casa?

Coffeeshop Casa is keeping pace with the developments at the new Boerderij and will therefore be moving to the Boerderij’s new location.

When will construction start?

Construction is expected to begin in 2030. Until then, the municipality will be drawing up plans. In 2027, an alternatives study will be conducted in collaboration with the Voorweg Centrum area development project. This study will establish the urban planning frameworks for the further design development of the first subplan, which includes the new building for Poppodium Boerderij.

Why is the municipality involved in this new construction?

The municipality owns the current Boerderij building and the land on which the new Poppodium will be built. The municipality will also remain the owner of the land and the new building for Poppodium Boerderij. As a result, the municipality is responsible for the construction of the new Boerderij building.

What about increasing noise pollution? What will the municipality do about it?

Measures are being taken to ensure that the building is virtually soundproof. Noise is also a key issue in the studies conducted by Voorweg Centrum, which also includes plans for residential units. This is one of the aspects that will be examined in the upcoming feasibility phase.

As a local resident, will I be more inconvenienced by traffic from the visitors?

Due to the increase in visitor numbers, parking pressure will rise. The plan is to increase the number of parking spaces so that parking pressure does not rise too much and residents are minimally affected. Parking will be examined in conjunction with the development of Voorweg Centrum. Due to the expected growth in visitor numbers, parking pressure in the surrounding area will also increase. To prevent this from causing inconvenience to nearby residents, we are exploring how the number of parking spaces can be expanded. The guiding principle is to ensure good accessibility to the Farm for visitors, while keeping the impact on the surrounding area as limited as possible.

The parking issue will not be considered in isolation, but in conjunction with the Voorweg Centrum area development. This approach will allow for the identification of a comprehensive and future-proof solution for parking and accessibility in the area.

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