Rotterdam in development

26 R O T T E R D A M I N D E V E L O P M E N T | 2 0 1 8 Rotterdam Central District is in line with the strategy for a further increase in housing density and attracting more people to live in the inner city, which will also add a certain vitality to the streets. CREATIVITY Construction on both sides of the station is permitted up to a height of 150 to 180 metres. “But,” says Kees van Oorschot, “we don’t want to set too many conditions for these locations. We don’t want to get in the way of market actors’ creativity, although the locations are technically challenging.” The municipality is looking forward to seeing the plans. Once they have been assessed, it is likely that two to four parties will be permitted to develop their ideas further in each location. Rotterdam Central District has attracted attention in the city for years. When the plans for a new Rotterdam Central Station took shape, the municipality and the businesses and entrepreneurs in the area decided to join forces and the Rotterdam Central District Association came into being. An area vision was created which incorporated aspects from everyone involved and which included ways for the area to develop further as an attractive place for businesses, both large and small, as an attractive residential area in a 24-hour economy and as a laboratory for urban sustainability. That vision was recently adapted to fit the current situation. The most important priorities are making connections, sharing and increasing sustainability. Innovation has also taken on a more central role. The developments have really moved quickly in recent years. Rotterdam Central Station has been open since March 2014 and it is a resounding success: travellers flock there; the station is one of the city’s highlights. Underground, you can find RandstadRail, the fast metro connection with The Hague and a popular form of transport. The Stationsplein and the Kruisplein have been transformed into an imposing gateway to the inner city and station, and buildings in the surrounding area have seen major rebuilding or renovation work. Examples of that work include the Groot Handelsgebouw, housing the catalyst that is