Residents of Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA) and the environmental association Urgenda presented a plan on Thursday to close the airport in exchange for a green residential area. The plans include thousands of homes, space for recreation, sports facilities, green areas, and better public transport. According to the initiator BTV-Rotterdam (Residents Against Aircraft Nuisance), the airport, which covers an area the size of Rotterdam's city center, causes "serious health problems and nuisance for more than 100,000 residents".
The new district will provisionally be called "Stadskwartier Noorderbos.” It will provide 12,500 homes for at least 25,000 people, space for 10,000 new jobs, and a large water storage area. The new district is to be built in a climate-neutral way and can withstand extreme conditions in the future.
Last month, the province of Zuid-Holland launched an investigation into the implications of converting Rotterdam Airport into a business park, recreational area, nature reserve, or residential area. It is highly questionable whether there is a majority for this plan in Rotterdam City Council. A survey conducted by the Rotterdam City Council in 2023 revealed that six out of ten Rotterdam residents would like to keep the airport, which was opened in 1956 as a facility for business flights, for the city.
Last year, the airport handled 2.2 million passengers, mainly vacation flights. Director Marjan Minnesma of the environmental organization Urgenda is positive .