The Beating Heart of Hoensbroek
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen has adopted the Memorandum of Principles for Hoensbroek Center. The note outlines the image for 2034. The center will then be lively and vital, with a good mix of housing and facilities for residents, visitors and entrepreneurs. Pearls such as the Castle and the small St. Jan are connected to the center, and the many beautiful image-defining facades in the area shine again as before.
Alderman Marco Peters of Restructuring: "Hoensbroek deserves a center to be proud of. The beating heart of Hoensbroek. The place where people shop and live, but at the same time a real living room. The place where it all happens. This autumn will be marked by the further elaboration of what exactly the center will look like. We are working on this together with the people in the area. The goal is to start working on a concrete implementation program as soon as possible. This is expected to be possible next February."
Living
In the center there will be a lot of room for new housing construction as well as transformation of current properties. The population is mostly aging. It is therefore very important that more young people move in. Preferably well-educated and with a good income, which contributes to a strong level of facilities. This is easier if the center has more, modern housing that meets the needs of young starters and families. But seniors also like to live in the center. There is also room for new ideas, such as residential groups for the elderly that include spaces for communal activities.
Stores and Amenities
The strength of the Hoensbroek Center of 2034 is not only determined by stores, but rather by a complete range of facilities. In this regard, the shopping center must be more compact. From approximately 19,000 m2 now, to 12,000 m2 in 2034. The compact center will emphasize daily groceries, supplemented by flower stores, liquor stores, drugstores and the like. The demarcation of the area will be determined with stakeholders this fall. To strengthen the role of living room, there will be more catering establishments. Especially on the Gebrookerplein and the Markt. The center will also be the place for culture in Hoensbroek, where associations and other culture-related organizations will be housed in the area and from there make an important contribution to the beating heart of Hoensbroek.
Livability
Pressure on the downtown and surrounding area from confused persons on the streets is noticeable among business owners and residents. In and around the center -whether or not in combination with care- many vulnerable persons live in residential care structures or houses divided into rooms. Both draw heavily on the livability and quality of life in the area. Residential care concepts in this area should be scaled down in order to restore the balance between the necessary care and housing of vulnerable persons and carrying capacity of the area.