The construction of houses in the city multiplies with space. More students will soon be living on the Zernike campus

According to the municipality, this does not mean that the students are gradually being driven out of the city towards the north campus of Zernike. “This is expressly not the intention,” said Alderman Roeland van der Schaaf (PvdA). “Eliminating all the students from the city is impractical, but it is also not the way we want to develop the city. We are not going to hide them in any particular area. This does not suit Groningen. ”

Break with the past

Two years ago, the municipality embraced the idea of ​​being able to also live on the Zernike campus. It was a break with the past. “The demand for student housing is increasing and construction options in the city are limited. The nuisance in the old quarters is increasing. We have to keep the balance. We need Zernike’s space. A well-functioning campus also requires a quality of life with shops, cafes and a restaurant. , including evenings and weekends.

In Groningen, 7,000 housing units have been completed for students. 2,000 more will be added over the next four years. There is still room for 1,000 to 2,000 residential units on the Zernike campus. “It may seem like there is a lot of space there. This is not true. If you want even more housing, you need to swap offices for housing. We will have to work hard to get this additional student accommodation ready by 2025, ”says Van der Schaaf.

Live and study in the same building

He confirms that housing associations and other developers are ready to make plans. High-rise buildings are not excluded. It is possible that part of the complex will be used and furnished in a different way. “It may be that the functions of the buildings are combined and you may live and study in the same building.”

Van der Schaaf emphasizes that “Groningen” wants to retain its specific character as a student city. ,, It is not in Utrecht that the campus is located a little further from the city. And certainly not Enschede, where many students live on campus. The city council does not want to separate Zernike and the students of Groningen. “This is an area that we continue to pressure against the city.”