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Nijmegen’s Winkelsteeg: from fault line to lively centre

In recent years, the Winkelsteeg industrial estate in Nijmegen has evolved into a promising area harbouring a diverse range of businesses. Yet its origins as an industrial park on the city’s outskirts are still palpable. Meanwhile, it has come to occupy a strategic position in recent decades as the city has expanded beyond it. The time has come to firmly reposition Winkelsteeg from a monofunctional industrial area into a dynamic, multifunctional district with a mix of residential and commercial functions. In the future, Winkelsteeg will provide space for needed new homes and jobs, as set out in the city of Nijmegen’s 2040 environmental strategy. On behalf of the city, we are working with SITE Urban Development on an ambition report and a development vision to guide this important project.

Linking east and west

Though the southern canal zone, which includes the industrial estate, occupies a strategic location, the Maas-Waal Canal acts as a fault line dividing the city. Winkelsteeg has the potential to become a spatial and programmatic link. Improving the area’s accessibility, taking better advantage of its green character, and deploying strategic programming will strengthen social cohesion in Nijmegen. As a future mixed-use district, Winkelsteeg can serve as a catalyst for breaking down mental and physical barriers between the city’s eastern and western sides. Our mission is to turn the canal into an important local landmark that will link the surrounding neighbourhoods and improve the area in general.

A model of green, healthy urbanism

The development plan will set out the spatial and programmatic decisions that will facilitate realisation of the aims of improving cohesion between Winkelsteeg and the city centre and Dukenburg areas and creating a dynamic mixed-use district for commercial activities, housing and recreation. In addition, surrounded as it is by different urban districts, Winkelsteeg provides abundant opportunities for boosting sustainability and climate resilience across this part of the city. It can therefore serve as a model of green, healthy urbanism in the region, building on Nijmegen’s rural setting. Finally, the climate, energy and mobility transition will be fully taken into account in every aspect of the redevelopment.

Working with stakeholders

Input from stakeholders and local residents plays a guiding role in the project. Stakeholders were consulted in May for their views on the initial ideas and the opportunities and threats they perceived with respect to redeveloping the southern canal zone and Winkelsteeg. This autumn, we will continue to work on the ambition report and development vision with all residents, businesses and organisations using the area. Winkelsteeg stands at the threshold of a sustainable, future-proof redevelopment.