Team Urban planning and Centre development

In European cities the historic centres have maintained their strong positions over time. At the same time we have seen the rise of new centres in the suburban areas of the conurbation. Stedplan has specialized in understanding the development and functioning of urban centres. The multi disciplinary character of the people working at our company matches the complex dynamics of these areas. We made several master plans and managed the planning process. Also we have researched new centres for over 10 years in several countries of the world and came up with new strategies for urban planning.

In the field of Urban planning and Centre development we can offer you:

Information: drs. Pieter van der Heijde, CEO, pvdh@stedplan.nl
Telephone number: +31 182 689 416 (office) / +31 651 496 248 (mobile phone)

pieterPieter van der Heijde MSc is CEO of Bureau Stedelijke Planning. He holds a master degree in Human Geography and has specialized in integral urban development. In the past years he has drafted a large number of master plans and development strategies for many clients, for example the municipalities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Breda, Leiden and Gouda and real estate developers, such as ING Real Estate and AM Development.  He consulted for new urban centres in Paris, London and Berlin.  He is a also PhD candidate, researching new urban centres.

Projects Urban planning and Centre development:


Leiden Central Railway station area (municipality of Leiden) Master plan for the transformation of the area around the fifth central station of The Netherlands together with Maxwan Architects and Urbanists. Bureau Stedelijke Planning made a functional analysis of surroundings and researched the markets  for retail, leisure, offices and housing. The outcomes have been implemented in a restructuring plan. Maxwan  made the urban design. The project is now under construction.

Transit Oriented Development in The Netherlands In 2010 Stedplan did a research on Transit Oriented Development (TOD) in ‘the Randstad’ (the four main city regions in the Netherlands). TOD refers to the development of compact, high-density and mixed-use centres that are located around public transit stations. In this research a comparison was made between the pattern of urban centres and the underlying transit network and nodes. This comparison is made for both the current situation and the estimated situation in 2030. The research resulted in an improved concept for Transit Oriented Development in ‘the Randstad’.

Development vision Hollands Spoor Railway Station area (municipality of The Hague)Hollands Spoor Station is one of two main railway stations in The Hague. During the years it had deteriorated into an impoverished part of the The Hague city centre, and was in need of a thorough revitalization. Since then the area has undergone a radical transformation into an attractive mix of houses, shops, offices and colleges. Stedplan was responsible for the redevelopment programme and the Master plan. The project is in now under construction.

An Ecocity design using water in Qingpu, Shanghai China (Municipality of Qingpu) Maxwan designed the master plan ‘the five waters of Qingpu’. The existing water ecology and culture is used as a foundation for a series of new public spaces that will allow each member of the new community to connect to water doing business, walking or playing. Housing on the north side creates intimate spaces connected through a natural park along the main waterway, while cultural uses and retial spaces line the main waterway in the west.

Master plan Maasterras Drechtsteden (Municipality of Dordrecht) The municipalities of Dordrecht and Zwijndrecht are transforming the Maasterras area around one of the major rivers of Holland into the central business district of the region. This area will be a mixed use area with offices, shops, government buildings and houses. Stedplan was responsible for the process and the drafting of the area vision. Area visions (structuurvisies) are a legal instrument under Dutch law that enables municipalities to allocate development profits from one area to another.

New urban centre for Leidsche Rijn (Municipality of Utrecht and ASR Real Estate)Leidsche Rijn is a new town of 30.000 houses near the city of Utrecht. It is one of the largest urban projects in Holland. Maxwan designed the masterplan for this compact city between major highways. One of these is hidden in a hollow dike. Stedplan consulted the municipality of Utrecht and the property development company for the functional spatial structure of the new urban centre including the shopping and leisure centre.

New urban centre Torre Lombarde Milano (ING Real Estate) On behalf of ING Real Estate, Stedplan has analyzed a number of new urban centres in several countries. One of these centres is Torre Lombarde in Milano, Italia. A new urban centre consisting of houses, retail and offices at the ring road around the city of Milano. Other new urban centres Stedplan researched for ING Real Estate are Cologne Duets in Germany, Bercy in Paris, and Hafencity in Germany.

New town Barking Riverside (London , Barking Riverside ltd.) The Barking Riverside project consists of 11.000 houses and urban facilities (shops, bars, restaurants, recreation, sports), schools, a large new park, a number of public squares, ecological values and an animated riverfront. It is one of the largest sites in Greater London. The project is sited near The Thames river, not far from Canary Wharf. Accessibility to the river will be one of the features increasing value for the new residents . Maxwan designed the master plan which describes in detail the structure and quality of urban space, also outlining the plan’s development within the next 20 years.

Master plan line 11 zone The Hague (municipality of The Hague) Railway line 11 connects several very characteristic, but also problematic, areas in The Hague, and is, as such, symbolic for the multi ethnic character of this “World City by the Sea”. The master plan gave different parties a reason to invest in housing, local economy, public facilities and public space (3.000 houses, 100.000 commercial real estate and 30.000 m2 public space). These investments will lead to the social-economic progression of these areas. Stedplan was responsible for the programming and drafting of the master plan. Maxwan made the design view for the area.

Urban development plan Ecocity Chungcheongham, South Korea. City of cities is a proposal of Venhoeven CS for a new city with 500.000 inhabitants and 200.000 jobs. A compact development of 73 km2 surrounded by nature for the enjoyment of people and animals. The city’s design has been developed with a view to long term understanding of how we can make cities fully self sufficient with zero emissions. The city’s tissue is constructed from an assortment of urban islands of different sizes and densities. Each island is part of the metropolis, but at the same time functions as a completely car-fee village or city offering a combination of functions. The high density of the city creates options for a well organised public transport system and a good level of public facilities. Everything will be within walking distance.

Selections other projects Urban planning and Centre development



Bureau Stedelijke Planning b.v.
Klein Amerika 18
2806 CA Gouda

Tel. 0182 689416
Fax. 0182 689417

E-mail: info@stedplan.nl