Construction of De Maten began in the early 1970s. One of the first phases was De Velden, a genuine family neighbourhood. There are all sorts of courtyards with detached houses, plenty of green spaces, and a wealth of footpaths and cycle paths. The neighbourhood has around 5,900 residents, mainly families with growing children.
General data suggests that De Velden is a pleasant neighbourhood. Compared with the rest of Apeldoorn, there are no striking positives or negatives. Whether it concerns health, well-being, demographic composition or the living environment, the figures show a healthy average. One area for attention is the level of amenities, which is slightly below average.
If you ask the residents themselves about their experience of the neighbourhood, a few things stand out. For example, they are slightly more positive about Apeldoorn as a whole than about their own neighbourhood. They also feel slightly more connected to the town than to their neighbourhood.
Meanwhile, relations between local residents are generally very good. They also feel a sense of shared responsibility for the day-to-day running of their neighbourhood.
Discussions with residents and organisations have also highlighted a number of issues. We’ll mention a few of them here. For example, many residents are bothered by the motorway. People are also concerned about the impact of any wind turbines in the neighbourhood’s vicinity. And residents would like to see sufficient local amenities, such as shops, remain in place.
In conclusion: De Velden is now more than forty years old. The neighbourhood therefore deserves an update to ensure it remains a pleasant place to live. It is also important to make the neighbourhood more sustainable. How can homes be disconnected from the gas grid in an affordable way? And how can we ensure the neighbourhood is prepared for climate change? We’re including all of this in the Vitality Agenda.
In the coming period, we will be focusing on five key areas. Firstly, we are working to create spaces for people to meet in the neighbourhood. We are also looking into ways of improving mobility in the area, for example through car-sharing schemes. Sustainability is high on the list: we’re helping residents make their homes more sustainable and drawing up a plan to make the neighbourhood gas-free. We’re also ensuring that this remains a pleasant place to live in other ways: by providing sufficient amenities and new housing for older people. And we’re giving the public spaces a major facelift.
| Objective | Action / Point for attention | Who |
|---|---|---|
| The community centre as a meeting place | Together with organisations and local residents, we are committed to making better use of the community centre. | Stimenz, housing association, volunteers & residents |
| Making the neighbourhood more sustainable | Our energy manager and the adviser provide residents with advice on making their homes more sustainable. | Municipality |
| Diverting rainwater | We encourage people to make their gardens greener and to divert rainwater (for example, by using a rainwater butt). | Local authority (Operation Steenbreek) |
| Promoting a sense of ownership | We involve residents in helping to devise – and contribute to – a pleasant outdoor space. | Municipality |
| Decision on cycling in Kanaalpark | We are investigating whether there is scope for the construction of a cycling circuit in the Kanaalpark. | Local council, ODVeluwe, cycling club, neighbourhood council, residents & businesses |
| Objective | Action / Point for attention | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Less noise pollution from the motorway | We are consulting with the provincial authorities and central government on noise-reduction measures along the A1, possibly in conjunction with solar panels. | Municipality, deA & Cleantech Region |
| Discussion on the option of wind turbines | We are continuing to discuss potential sites for wind turbines. Some residents in the neighbourhood have concerns about this development. | Local authority, district/neighbourhood council & deA |
| More lifetime-proof homes | We are looking at ways of creating more space for lifetime-adapted (senior) housing. | Local authority, neighbourhood council & housing associations |
| Adequate local facilities | We ensure that the standard of facilities is maintained. We assist business owners with this where necessary. | Local authority & businesses |
| More electric and shared transport | We encourage the use of electric vehicles, car-sharing schemes and local transport, including by installing charging points. | Local authority, residents |
| Development of a heating strategy | In consultation with residents, we are drawing up a heating strategy for De Maten. How can we disconnect this neighbourhood from the gas grid? | Local authority, residents, district/neighbourhood council, network operator, housing associations & water board |
| Objective | Action / Point for attention | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Refurbishment of the neighbourhood |
We are drawing up a plan to revitalise the neighbourhood, focusing on areas such as traffic, parking, play areas and the climate. |
Local authority, Stimenz & district/neighbourhood council |
Would you like more information about the vitality agenda?
Get in touch
