Development strategy Donge river banks

Geertruidenberg is selected to participate in the county experiment "quality and sustainability". Urbis created an environmental development plan for an area near the Donge banks between the two towns Geertruidenberg and Raamsdonksveer. The banks were occupied by industries and the towns were lying backwards to the river. The assignment was to develop this area for housing, recreation and ecology.

The identity of the two towns must be the basis for the developments. We aim to focus the towns towards each other, with the river Donge as connection between them. Participation is key for the success of the process. Interviews and workshops with habitants, council responsibles and businesses were crucial in the master plan. In the workshops several models were developed and chosen.

The model was chosen to take the towns towards both river banks, and connected by a (cycling) bridge. Along the banks a public footpath was created.

Besides this we were responsible for the supervision. The making of the bridge, the banks and the recreational and ecological connections are financed by development locations.The relocation of industries is part of the strategy.

client Gemeente Geertuidenberg
assignment Development vision, structure sketch
team Petra Sala (design), Donald Lambert (design)
images Urbis
themes vision & stategy