Barendrecht asylum centre plan postponed as Rotterdam waits for post‑summer response

Rotterdam’s municipal executive will hold off on taking a stance on Barendrecht’s proposal to locate an asylum‑seeker centre for up to 350 people in the Zuidelijk Randpark until after the summer recess. Deputy mayor Chantal Zeegers (D66) said the council needs more time to evaluate the spatial and administrative implications, especially because part of the site’s access runs through Rotterdam territory, sparking local political debate. Barendrecht has already continued preparations and the Central Agency for Asylum Seekers (COA) expressed confidence in the site’s feasibility. A final decision by Barendrecht is expected later in the year, and the municipality’s new councilor Esther Punte van Pro has taken over from Dirk Vermaat (EVB).