Feasibility study Poppodium Boerderij

Poppodium Boerderij is an important pop venue for Zoetermeer, but it also attracts regional, national and international visitors. To maintain Boerderij's good position, expansion and further professionalization are needed. The capacity of the venue (maximum 750 visitors) is too small and the current building is not suitable for new developments.

In 2024, the municipality drew up a business plan in consultation with Boerderij. The plan focuses on Boerderij's desired expansion to include a large hall for up to 1,300 visitors, with 250 seats. In addition, there will be a small hall for 400 visitors and a Podiumcafé for 200 visitors. The Casa coffee shop and rehearsal rooms will also move to the new building. The new building will be located between Gymworld and the current Boerderij.

The growth in visitor numbers is estimated at approximately 50,000 now, rising to over 113,000 per year once the new Poppodium building is complete. The program will be expanded to include indoor festivals, major and upcoming Dutch artists, educational activities, and talent development in collaboration with schools and music schools in the city. For talent development, it is also important that the rehearsal rooms currently located in the Boerderij building are included in the new construction.

City Council Decision February 17, 2025 Credit Application

More time than expected was needed to finalize the requirements program. Here you will find the memo to the city council dated June 24, 2025, on this subject. It states that the municipality, in collaboration with Poppodium Boerderij, has continued to work on a carefully drafted program of requirements for the new building. This will serve as the basis for the further development, tendering, and realization of Poppodium Boerderij.

City Council Decision November 24, 2025 New construction option selection

In the fall of 2025, the city council decided on the feasibility of the plans and chose between the different options: a flat option and a stacked option, each with different sustainability ambitions. On November 24, 2025, the city council unanimously approved the preferred variant A, the halls of the Boerderij and the podium café on the ground floor with a lower sustainability investment. View the entire council document here . This means that the tender for an architect can now be started and the preconditions for the project, such as parking and access to the building, can be addressed together with the Voorweg Centrum project.

Participation with local residents

The participation process proposal adopted by the municipal council in early 2025 states that, once a preferred option has been selected, a participation meeting will be organized for residents. However, we are unable to provide much visual information at this stage. We have therefore decided to limit participation to the surrounding area once an architect has been appointed to make actual changes or adjustments to the building or its accessibility. This is expected to take place around the summer of 2026.

Questions and answers about new building Poppodium Boerderij

In response to council proposal to build new Poppodium Boerderij - choice of variant.

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 Farm building sits between the current Farm and Gymworld property. The entire lot will be occupied by the new building.

What is meant by the feasibility study?

The feasibility study will examine whether the plans for the new Farm building are realistic and feasible. It will look at the surrounding area, parking, noise, ecology, and ideas for different buildings. The feasibility study will continue throughout 2026.

What will happen to Casa?

Coffeeshop Casa will join the developments of the new Farm and thus move to the new location.

When will construction start?

On November 24, the choice of a variant was submitted to the city council, resulting in a positive decision. An architect will then be selected, and the feasibility phase will be completed in early 2027. Implementation will then begin. Construction is expected to start in 2030.

When will the plans become final?

The plans will be finalized after completion of the feasibility phase. The variant selection presented to the council in November 2025 is an intermediate step in the feasibility phase.

Why is the municipality involved in this new construction?

The municipality owns the current Farm building and the land on which it stands. This makes the municipality responsible for the new construction of the Farm.

What about the number of gigs? Are they increasing and by how much?

The new Boerderij will have two halls, a large hall for up to 1,300 visitors and a smaller hall for up to 400 visitors, as well as a stage café.

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

The building will be made virtually soundproof. This is one of the aspects that will be investigated in the upcoming feasibility phase.

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

The increase in visitor numbers will lead to increased parking pressure. The number of parking spaces will therefore also increase.