Unique partnership for tram route

For the first time in the Netherlands, both public and private parties are jointly investing in the development of a high-speed tram line. The landowners of the future residential district Rijnenburg—united in the Rijnenburg Landowners Consortium—intend to contribute a substantial investment of €200 million to make the extension of the Merwedelijn (Utrecht in the Netherlands) tram line possible. This tram will form a key part of a high-quality public transport link between Utrecht Central Station, Groot Merwede (a major upcoming urban development), and the Rijnenburg polder—a large low-lying area designated for new housing development. This area is expected to become the largest new housing location in the Netherlands, comparable in scale to entire new towns in the UK.

The consortium of landowners in Rijnenburg includes the following Dutch property development and housing organisations: AM, Amvest, Ballast Nedam Development, BPD | Bouwfonds Area Development, Latei, Woonin, Portaal, Synchroon, Hoorne Vastgoed, and Timpaan.

Building the city of the future

The city of Utrecht is working to create the “city of the future” in a region facing the country’s most acute housing shortage and experiencing rapidly growing employment opportunities. Located at the heart of the Netherlands’ economic corridor—often compared to the UK’s “Golden Triangle” of Oxford–Cambridge–London—the region is one of the most competitive in Europe. It is highly attractive to international businesses and knowledge institutions, such as universities and research centres.

To keep this economic engine running smoothly, it is crucial for both the region and the country to address the housing crisis. Building homes on this scale is only feasible with a major upgrade in public transport infrastructure. Private sector partners are committed to developing a liveable, sustainable, and affordable district. Both the landowners and the local authorities (the City of Utrecht and regional governments) recognise the necessity of a high-quality public transport link. Without this investment, the planned urban district simply cannot be realised. At the same time, both public and private partners aim to minimise the inflationary effects of land speculation, to ensure that sufficient resources remain available to build a high-quality urban environment.

Read more about this unique collaboration (in Dutch): Unieke samenwerking voor tramlijn Merwedelijn - AM | Ontwikkelaars van impact