It offers representatives and administrators the opportunity to consider and discuss the options.
The development of the Lelylijn, a newly proposed rail connection route that will connect the north of the Netherlands with the rest of the country, will reach a crucial point in 2024. A decision on the continuation of the plans is expected to be made at the end of this year.
In the run-up to this, various studies are being conducted, including the first results of the NOVEX development perspective. This perspective examines the impact of the Lely Line on various areas such as housing, the labor market, and nature and landscape development. The choice to bundle the route with the existing highways A6/A7/A32 is notable, a decision that forms the basis for further discussions.
The initial findings are four schools of thought emerged: the Thirty Minute Community, Vital Ecoland, Urban Network and International Top Region. Each direction offers a vision of how the Lely Line can influence the development of the region, from promoting a balanced distribution of development to stimulating economic growth in the largest cities. These lines of thought are not intended to be chosen directly, but serve as a basis for discussions with policymakers and the public.
The Dertigminutecommunity emphasizes a spread of developments linked to a Lely line with multiple stations, while Vitaal Ecoland emphasizes climate-adaptive urbanization. The Urban Network concept focuses on growth in larger centers, connected by the Lely Line, and the International Top Region sees the line as a backbone for economic development in the largest cities.
The Lely Line would reduce the distance between people and communities, both literally and figuratively. A faster and more efficient rail connection makes it easier for people to travel for work, education and recreation, contributing to social cohesion and strengthening family and friendship ties over greater distances.
Each school of thought presents a vision of the future of housing construction, the labor market, and nature and landscape, and addresses the question of how small centers can remain vital, how water and soil problems can be tackled, and how sustainable mobility and balance between living, working and training can be achieved.
The arrival of the Lely Line is seen as an opportunity to improve broad prosperity in the Netherlands, by not only providing economic and housing construction incentives, but also paying attention to social, cultural and living environment aspects. Depending on the chosen mindset, the Lely Line can create between 14.000 and 74.000 additional homes and 3.000 to 63.000 jobs, with most growth in the larger centers.
The realization of the Lelylijn, an ambitious railway project that will connect the northern provinces of the Netherlands with the rest of the country, is known as a potentially transformative undertaking. This project is not only aimed at improving mobility and connecting cities and regions, but also aims to boost broad prosperity in the Netherlands. The term “broad prosperity” here covers a wide range of welfare aspects, including economic growth, social cohesion, environmental quality, and quality of life.
