Environmental Vision

Surprising Kerkrade, 't sjunste óp de welt

What will Kerkrade look like in 2050? That's in our environmental vision, "Surprising Kerkrade, 't sjunste óp de welt". The environment vision describes the future of our municipality and provides a look ahead to 2050. The environment vision sets out how Kerkrade wants to develop in terms of living, working and life up to the year 2050.

The vision was created together with residents, business owners and organizations. 

The bridge over the Hamweg and the Outerring. In the foreground a footpath, in the background fields and windmills.

In November 2025, Kerkrade City Council adopted the Kerkrade 2050 Environmental Vision. The vision is called: Surprising Kerkrade, 't sjunste óp de welt. 

The vision defines four core ambitions: 

  • The Multigenerational City
  • The Livable City
  • The Working City
  • The Climate Resilient City

The Multigenerational City

Kerkrade wants to be a town where young and old live, learn, care and relax together. The town is committed to strengthening residential quality by building housing in the middle and higher segments, shared facilities and meeting places that connect generations. This will create an inclusive city where everyone feels at home.

The Livable City

A healthy, safe and attractive living environment is central. Kerkrade is working to strengthen the level of facilities so that key amenities are within cycling and walking distance from every neighborhood. The livable town also focuses on greening neighborhoods, improving mobility (encouraging bicycle use) and promoting social cohesion. Livability also means space for culture, sports and recreation.

The Working City

The municipality stimulates economic development by providing space for entrepreneurship, innovation and education. Efforts are made to strengthen business parks, attract new employment and improve the connection between education and the labor market.

The Climate Resilient City

Kerkrade is preparing for climate change by investing in greening renewable energy, , biodiversity, combating heat stress and water management. The town will become greener, more resilient and more resistant to extreme weather conditions. Kerkrade also has a unique and varied rural area that we want to preserve and strengthen. 

The PDF document is not digitally accessible. We will publish a digitally accessible version on this page by December 2025. 

Are you unable to read the document properly? If so, please contact us at omgevingswet

Timeline Environment Vision

During the creation of the environmental vision, residents, business owners and partners contributed ideas and input on the environmental vision. We asked them what they are proud of. What they find important and what they would like to see different. We collected many ideas through an online questionnaire, conversations in the city, walks through the neighborhoods (area safaris) and a meeting with partners about the future.

The municipality thanks all these residents, business owners and organizations who participated. Together we created the vision. 

  1. Completed: area safari in the city

    During the area safari, street conversations were held in all three neighborhoods (North, East and West). The street conversations took place in the spring of 2023.

  2. Completed: Postcard and online questionnaire

    All residents of the city received a postcard from the municipality. With it, we invited everyone to share wishes, ideas and images of the future with us through the digital platform Municipality Tracker. 

  3. Completed: future dive

    Under the guidance of a number of experts, meetings were organized on the future of the city. In these meetings, we talked to different target groups (e.g., housing associations, welfare organizations, young people, seniors) about the choices and issues of the future.

  4. Completed: exhibition of futures

    With the results from the questionnaire, the area safari and the future dive, the future images of Kerkrade were drawn up. These future images were presented through a public exhibition in town during the Festival 't Kirchroa va Morje.

  5. Completed: scope and detail memorandum.

    At the same time, the mer procedure for the environmental vision is underway. An environmental impact report is being prepared for this. This report examines all kinds of effects on the environment in our municipality. In this way we discover what effects certain choices have on the residential and living environment and on the environment. This helps to determine which choices we must make for the future. A Scope and Detail Memorandum is the first step. This explains what will be studied in the environmental impact assessment. You can read the reactions of stakeholders to this memorandum in the Memorandum of Views and Opinions.

  6. Completed: draft environmental vision

    Many residents and chain partners contributed ideas and input on the environmental vision. We received many ideas and suggestions through an online poll, various city conversations, area safaris in the three neighborhoods and the future dive with chain partners. With this information, we set to work. The result is the draft environmental vision: the elaboration of future plans for Kerkrade. 

    Comments on the draft environmental vision

    From Friday, June 6, 2025 to Thursday, July 17, 2025, all Kerkrade residents were able to view the draft environmental vision and express their views on its contents . This could be done by submitting an opinion. 

    A total of 14 views were submitted on the draft environmental. As a result, the vision was modified on some points. The municipality also adopted the opinion of the Environmental Impact Assessment Commission.

  7. Completed: final environmental vision

    On November 4, 2025, Kerkrade City Council approved the Kerkrade 2050 Environmental Vision and the Environmental Impact Assessment. The vision is called "Surprising Kerkrade, 't sjunste óp de welt. 

    The environmental vision replaces the Kerkrade Structural Vision adopted in 2011. 

    The City Council's website contains all documents on the Environmental Vision. 

  8. Still to do: Environment programs and environment plan

    The environmental vision is a dynamic document. It changes with new developments in society, technology and world politics. Every four years, the municipality reviews the vision and adjusts it as needed.

    In the coming years, the municipality will elaborate on the vision in environmental programs and the environmental plan.