Moving Forward Together: Development Outlook for North Holland North
On Friday, October 30, in a packed Grote Laurenskerk in Alkmaar, the draft Development Perspective for North Holland North (NHN) took center stage during the “Samen op Koers” conference. In the Development Perspective, the 17 municipalities in North Holland North, the Hollands Noorderkwartier Water Board, the province of North Holland, and the national government are collaborating on the region’s spatial development.
Mayor Anja Schouten opened the conference in “the city’s living room” with the message that the major challenges facing North Holland North can only be tackled together. Comedian Karin Bloemen, who grew up in the region herself, then performed a song written especially for the occasion, in which she expressed the unique character and sense of community of North Holland North in a relatable way.
Provincial Executive Member Esther Rommel and Alderman Simco Kruijer (chair of the NHN Development Outlook steering committee) invited the 200 council members, business leaders, and administrators in attendance to actively contribute their ideas on the choices that will shape the region’s development in the coming decades.
The development perspective outlines ambitions in the areas of housing and mobility, the economy, water and soil, national challenges, and regional identity. These topics were further elaborated upon during the conference by Alderman Nils Langedijk of Dijk en Waard (lead coordinator of the mobility program), Friso de Zeeuw (chair of the Holland Boven Amsterdam Economic Forum), Water Board member Jos Beemsterboer (HHNK), and Dorine van Hoogstraten (director of MOOI Noord-Holland). Drawing on their own expertise, they demonstrated that issues surrounding accessibility, the economy, the landscape, and climate call for regional solutions. In five breakout sessions, they explored five themes from the Development Perspective in greater depth with the participants. There was also time to share points of concern, additions, and refinements.
The breakout session “Climate Change and the Water System” focused on the water system. During this session, Water Board Member Jos Beemsterboer noted that North Holland North is also facing drought, salinization, and sea-level rise. This raised questions such as: How do we prepare for this? Where are we reaching our limits? What choices are needed to make the region future-proof? This was an important discussion for everyone involved in spatial development, water management, and the quality of life in our cities and towns.
The closing remarks were delivered by Mayor Anja Schouten, as chair of the “Krachtig Noord-Holland Noord” steering committee, and Simco Kruijer, as chair of the “Ontwikkelperspectief-NHN” steering committee. They looked ahead to the administrative decision-making process. “It is important that the Development Perspective be adopted first,” said Schouten. “Decisions on this will be made in the individual municipal councils. At the same time, it’s important that we work together.” Kruijer emphasized that the adoption of the Development Perspective is not an endpoint, but rather the starting point for an implementation and investment agenda: “We need to get to work.”
With the proceeds from the conference in hand, the Development Perspective is now entering the administrative decision-making phase.
