Zoetermeer Moves Forward with Voorweg Centrum and Poppodium Boerderij
The board of mayor and aldermen has decided that the Boerderij Music Venue and the Voorweg Centrum will proceed as a single area development. The Boerderij Music Venue is located in the heart of the Voorweg Centrum area development. By combining the two developments, decisions regarding the building, its functions, public space, accessibility, and parking can be better coordinated. This offers opportunities to enhance the quality of the area, where different functions reinforce one another.
To keep the momentum going, Zoetermeer’s “ board of mayor and aldermen ” is launching a joint initiative. This approach involves Aldermen Jeffrey van Gils (Urban Development) and Hilko Folkeringa-Florizoone (Culture) joining forces. Van Gils: “We can now get started at full speed. We can fully realize the potential of Voorweg Centrum if we develop the area as a single entity.” The city council had previously established clear guidelines regarding the connection between Voorweg Centrum and Poppodium Boerderij. Folkeringa-Florizoone: “We really want to start working with the local community very soon to see how we can attractively integrate the concert venue into the area’s development. In this context, the Poppodium Boerderij subproject is considered the first project within the area’s development.” Janine Karlas, director of Poppodium Boerderij, notes that the plans have been carefully reviewed: “We are confident that this approach will secure the future of Poppodium Boerderij. Phasing is important to us. If the construction of our new building serves as the starting point for the area development, it will give us a clear outlook for the coming period.”
This fall, the municipality of Zoetermeer will organize its first public participation meeting on the area development of Voorweg Centrum. The meetings are intended to identify several preferred options. The municipal executive is expected to present a preferred option to the city council by the end of 2027. The municipal executive aims to complete all planning during this current term of office so that construction of the new concert venue can begin by the end of 2030.
More information
Residents and other stakeholders will receive more information this fall about the next steps and opportunities to provide input. They will be notified via a letter and through the project pages on this website.
