Heerlen presents draft environmental vision: 'An old city with a young heart'
Today, the Heerlen council has adopted its draft environmental vision: an overarching vision for a liveable, social and sustainable Heerlen living environment in 2050. The draft environmental vision was created through collaboration between many hundreds of residents and partners, an administrative vision outline by the council, a council session and regional collaboration. The draft environmental vision will be available for inspection from January 2025.
Towards 2050: Years of recovery
If the mine closures inflicted a deep socio-spatial wound on our city 50 years ago, the environmental vision sets the course for the next 25 years as a period of definitive recovery. Visible, tangible recovery.
With green structures that carry the beautiful landscape surrounding Heerlen into the city, so that the unparalleled Brunssummerheide feels within reach as soon as you leave the Maankwartier. With mixed and sustainable neighbourhoods in balance, in which everyone, from starter to senior, can find a home. With safe, nature-inclusive neighbourhoods, bordered by biodiverse greenery and connected by cycling and walking routes, which together form a coherent urban mosaic. With a mine waste mountain and hills that tower above the accessible stream valleys and offer a view of sustainable mining colonies, the Sibelco quarries redeveloped into a nature and recreation area as a green-blue gateway to Heerlen-Noord, and on a railway line that finally connects Eindhoven and Aachen with an intercity. With a unique cultural profile, in which Roman remains and murals effortlessly merge. With a dynamic, circular economy embedded in Parkstedelijke and (Eu)regional cohesion, in which not only the vibrant educational cluster in the city centre and the flourishing business parks on the outskirts of the city, but also SMEs play a key role. And with a solid, stimulating social safety net that enables all Heerlen residents to be part of the story of our city in a significant way.
Pioneer in balance and bloom
The road to realizing this vision of balance and prosperity in the coming years is not easy and there will certainly be setbacks. But we can overcome obstacles and setbacks with resilience. The history of Heerlen also shows that. Heerlen draws that resilience from good cooperation with partners, its pioneering spirit, .“Because Heerlen,” concludes Alderman Environmental vision Casper Gelderblom and architect & urban planner Francine Houben in their foreword to 'Pionier in balans en Bloei', “has long ceased to be that city without a plan. Heerlen is a city with a will. That will is the core of the overarching vision that lies before you, which points the way for the next 25 years.”
Participation as the key to success
The participation process played a major role in creating the environmental vision. More than 2,600 residents, entrepreneurs and partners contributed their thoughts during neighbourhood visits, district meetings, interviews and surveys. This input led to six core themes that shape the route to 2050. From dreams about the city to concrete ideas for improvements: the voice of Heerlen residents has been incorporated into an integral and future-oriented vision.
Process to decision making
We will make the draft environmental vision available for inspection for six weeks in January 2025. During this period, residents and other stakeholders will have the opportunity to submit their views. We will assess and process these responses. We will then submit the final proposal to the municipal council. We expect the municipal council to adopt the vision in the first half of 2025.
Next steps
After approval, we translate the vision into plans and programs, such as the environmental plan and policy frameworks. With this, we work on the implementation of the ambition to develop Heerlen into a sustainable, socially and economically vital city.