Limmel on the Meuse Information

Name of the area

The planning area we now call Limmel aan de Maas consists of two parts: the former Trega site and the former Zinkwitte site. These are old factory sites that originated around 1900. The Sphinx factory was also located here.

Limmel’s expansion plans

Limmel has wanted to expand for decades. And because Limmel is bordered by the railway, the Beatrixhaven industrial estate and the Noorderbrug, the only possibility is towards the Maas on the old industrial sites. Around 2012, there was already a plan for housing in combination with a marina and a DIY centre. At the last minute, the council decided to build this DIY centre on the other side of the Maas, on the Belvedère site.

Area development

In 2018, the council will start working on the outlines of the new Environmental Vision. BuurtNetWerk Limmel is putting forward the long-cherished wish for expansion on the one hand and a better connection with the city and downgrading of the busy Willem Alexanderweg on the other. However, Alderman Krabbendam wants nothing to do with this and is marking a large PR area for as many as 1,000 cars on the area maps. A new location must also be found for the large car wash on Belvedère, which the municipality of Limmel has in mind. BuurtNetWerk Limmel takes action and ultimately receives support from the municipal council in February 2020 to draw up an area vision for the area.

Ziegler area vision

Urban planner Franz Ziegler, hired by the municipality, is given the assignment together with project leader Camiel Kruchten. Initially, Ziegler is given little leeway by the municipality, because there is simply a limited housing supply in South Limburg. After Sjoertje Vos, a member of BuurtNetWerk, designs a plan for the area and sends it to the media and the council, Limmel receives support from Franz Ziegler. He considers it a “feel-good plan” that should be developed further. The council becomes enthusiastic, as does housing alderman Vivianne Heijnen.

The area now has a new owner. This means that Maastricht-based Naga Solar (a solar panel company) has an option on the area. Following Trega’s bankruptcy, the Trega site is now owned by Deutsche Bank. The Zinkwitter site has been owned by remediation company Mourik for decades. In 2021, steady work is being done on an urban development vision that initially envisages 300 and later approximately 600 homes in Limmel aan de Maas. The plan was discussed by the council before the summer recess and will be submitted to the municipal council for decision-making after the summer.

A spanner in the works

Chris Meys, chairman of the BuurtNetWerk, receives a call from project leader Kruchten on the day before the council’s summer recess. The announcement raises many questions, as the plan submitted is completely different from the one that all parties have been working on for months. Maaszicht b.v. had submitted a plan for the construction of a mega warehouse measuring 170 metres by 60 metres. The plan had been fully developed and submitted with 65 appendices for an environmental permit. Limmel was shocked, as was the municipality, because weren’t we going to build a residential area?

Trade, from A to C via B

It turned out that the area was not owned by Naga Solar, but was under option. They were then unable to secure the financing for the purchase and asked Heezen, a restructuring specialist from Brabant, to join the project. Within three days, the shares in BV Maaszicht went from party a. Deutsche Bank via party b. Heezen BV to party c. Leeyen Vastgoed. Leeyen Vastgoed is run by two brothers who are both multimillionaires.

Because the latter party had a lot of experience with warehouse construction but not with housing construction, and because the housing shortage had not yet hit at that time, Leeyen wanted to build the warehouse. He made use of the applicable zoning plan, which was for industrial land.

Neighbourhood in action!

What should have been a quiet summer turned into a busy period for the BuurtNetWerk, which fortunately received help from the former director of urban development in Maastricht, Huub Smeets. Discussions were held with Leeyen, councillors, aldermen, Mourik and others. Legal steps were explored and, ultimately, a large demonstration was held on 28 August against Leeyen’s mega warehouse. The whole of Limmel turned out that Saturday and was widely supported by many fellow citizens. The demonstration was broadcast live on local television stations. The city council, normally very divided in Maastricht, showed courage and decided to impose a so-called preparatory decision on the planning area. As a result, no new undesirable plans could be submitted for the area. In the meantime, the permit procedure for the warehouse was ongoing and discussions were held with Leeyen. The neighbourhood also took playful action again at the council, using a text written by Remco Mettrop based on an existing rock and roll song.

The years 2022-24, standstill, forward and backward

In the years following the demonstration, the parties returned to the table to discuss the housing plan. Franz Ziegler drew up a revised area vision with space for approximately 900 homes, a small completion of the industrial estate on Balijeweg, and a new robust traffic structure that would make the busy Willem Alexanderweg a thing of the past. However, Leeyen indicated that the warehouse would generate more revenue in less time than the housing plan. Even the subsidy granted by Hugo de Jonge for the modification of the road network and the remediation costs did not convince him.

The municipality then commissioned real estate agency CBRE to calculate both scenarios. Ultimately, a housing plan with around 1,000 homes yielded a similar financial outcome for Leeyen. However, this did not lead to a decision to proceed with the plans.

2024

In a cold January storm, BuurtNetWerk Limmel was summoned to the town hall. Councillor Bastiaens had good news to share. He announced that the council had accepted Leeyen’s offer to purchase the land. Leeyen was present at the press conference and stated that he had offered the land to the municipality in the interests of housing construction. This good news was celebrated by the neighbourhood!

In 2024, the area vision was updated, financially calculated and further developed with regard to the first phase. This is the section between Noorderbrug and the extended Dolmansstraat.

2025

In 2025, clean soil will be brought in from other projects. Due to safety requirements in relation to high water levels, the site must be raised by one metre. The tendering process will also start this year. The municipality does not build houses itself. This will be done by a commercial party, possibly in collaboration with a housing association.

Follow this site for up-to-date information. The information will be updated as soon as there is more to report.