Residential developments spark community discussions in Deurne and Herselt

Local communities in Deurne, Netherlands, and Herselt, Belgium, are addressing the impacts of upcoming residential developments. In Deurne, the Sint Jozefparochie area is set to see hundreds of new homes. Gerrit van den Heuvel, a representative for the Zorgsamenbuurt Deurne Sint Jozef initiative, emphasizes that urban growth must include social infrastructure. He argues that a neighborhood requires more than just housing, advocating for green spaces, walking routes, and meeting points within a ‘pantoffelafstand’ (slipper's distance) of 500 meters to support social cohesion, particularly for the elderly.

In Herselt, residents are opposing a specific housing project planned for the site of the Sjans thrift store. The developer intends to build 10 apartments and 10 houses, but neighbors fear the project will lead to increased traffic congestion on the narrow Demer street and overwhelm the local sewage system. Residents claim previous developments have already doubled traffic in the area and noted existing drainage issues. A provincial decision regarding the building permit is expected shortly.