Gulbergen intended as regional city park of Brainport region

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Gulbergen Estate should become a regional landscape park, where people can come to relax, play sports, recreate and enjoy nature. A landscape in which nature and water are given space. Because of the enormous expected growth in the number of homes and residents in the coming years in the Brainport region, such a place is desperately needed. This is the core of the Development Vision that Metropolitan Region Eindhoven (MRE) presented Oct. 26 during an online information meeting for stakeholders in the area. The coming year should make clear whether the plan can be made financially feasible. MRE is investigating various scenarios for this purpose.

A green recreational area is also the explicit wish of several hundred stakeholders who, in 2022, participated in thinking about a future plan for the Gulbergen Estate. An online survey and a series of meetings with local residents, associations, businesses and other stakeholders showed that other possible scenarios, such as housing, a vacation park or generating sustainable energy, could count on little support. MRE developed the input from the participation process into a Development Vision: a desirable image for the regional city park of the Brainport region. The vision forms the basis for a number of concrete projects that can be realized over the next ten years.

Feasibility

Whether all parts of the plan can actually be realized depends on the availability of sufficient financial resources. Not only must the area development be able to count on support, it must also be budget neutral. This should become clear in the course of 2024.

Feedback to participants

On October 26, MRE organized an online information meeting to update all stakeholders on Development Vision and how input has been incorporated into it. There will also be a walk-in evening on November 9 between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at the Gulbergen golf course site. People can ask questions that evening and talk to members of the project team about the Development Vision. Interested parties will continue to be kept informed through the newsletter and website.

About Gulbergen

Gulbergen Estate is a green zone in the municipalities of Geldrop-Mierlo and Nuenen. The area is about 325 hectares and is located between the cities of Eindhoven and Helmond. Once a landfill, it is now a green, scenic area beloved for its beautiful views from the highest point in Brabant. It is a pleasant place for golfers, hikers and cyclists, among others. The Metropoolregio Eindhoven (MRE) is the owner of Landgoed Gulbergen, making the 21 municipalities in MRE (financially) responsible for the area. As territorial municipalities, the municipalities of Geldrop-Mierlo and Nuenen are responsible for the spatial choices. The 21 municipalities in MRE are also responsible for the 'perpetual aftercare' for the former landfill. A responsibility that MRE will eventually transfer to the province.

The management of the area had long been in the hands of Attero, until MRE terminated the long lease at the end of 2020 for a purchase price of 17.1 million euros. MRE decided to do this because the intended development of the area did not get off the ground for years. Since then, MRE, as owner of the area, has been in charge of the area development itself.

You can review the online meeting at www.gulbergen.nl. Here you can also read the Development Vision for Gulbergen Estate.