Investing in New Towns pays off: every euro yields €1.20

The study was presented to Minister Boekholt-O'Sullivan of Housing and Spatial Planning and discussed with members of Parliament on September 9, 2026. The minister acknowledges and shares the concerns regarding the quality of life in the New Towns. She will carefully review the report’s findings and, based on them, determine what next steps are appropriate.

3 concrete proposals

Research makes it clear: only a joint approach by the national government and the municipalities can address the challenges facing the New Towns. The seven municipalities are therefore submitting three concrete proposals to the national government:

• Launch the New Town strategy in collaboration with the New Towns. The House of Representatives has unanimously declared that a New Town strategy must be developed.
• Develop a complementary national strategy that includes a separate category for “New Towns,” with a long-term and broad financial commitment. Municipalities are doing what they can, but the challenges exceed the capacity of individual municipalities.
• Ensure that federal regulations are better aligned with the New Town initiatives. This will prevent projects in neighborhoods and communities from coming to a halt because temporary funding expires.

"For the residents of the New Towns, it is essential that the national government and municipalities work together. The study shows that this collaboration is necessary and that it actually makes a difference in neighborhoods and communities," says Michel Bezuijen, chair of the New Town Alliance and mayor of Zoetermeer. "Without timely investments, there is a risk that new high-needs neighborhoods will emerge. We need a mix of measures to address this: from co-financing to other targeted interventions in neighborhoods and communities. By taking action together now, we ensure that our New Towns are—and remain—strong, attractive places to live, work, and grow up.”

Municipalities Cannot Tackle New Town Challenges on Their Own

The 7 New Towns have drawn up a package of measures for each city aimed at creating livable neighborhoods and cities. The study shows that every euro invested yields €1.20 in social benefits, provided there is a long-term, joint effort by municipalities, the national government, and partners. Thanks to this investment, 1,600 students would be able to develop more fully. It would also improve the quality of life in 153,000 homes, and an estimated 28,000 people would require less healthcare.

What Sets New Towns Apart

The municipalities of Almere, Capelle aan den IJssel, Helmond, Nieuwegein, Nissewaard, Purmerend, and Zoetermeer are collaborating within the New Town Alliance. These are cities that, in the 1970s and 1980s, grew rapidly—at the government’s behest—from small villages or from scratch into cities. Today, large parts of these cities have become outdated, and young people have fewer opportunities for personal development.

More and more people are moving to New Towns because of the availability of affordable housing. This influx—which includes a relatively large number of vulnerable residents—is concentrated in specific districts and neighborhoods. As a result, social cohesion, economic security, and development opportunities for young people have been under pressure for some time. Without targeted investments, this downward trend risks intensifying further. This presents the New Towns with a challenge that differs in scale and complexity from that of other cities.

History shows that cooperation between the national government and municipalities can have a major impact. Through such cooperation, New Towns can continue to make an important contribution to national priorities today.