Flora Campus Westland Masterplan A bird’s-eye view
Introduction The Flora Campus Westland Masterplan is the outcome of the masterplan phase of the Flora Campus Westland programme. It involves the southern part of the project area, for which an exploration – including large-scale participation – was launched in September 2020. In collaboration with input from various stakeholders, this proces led to a development perspective. After its adoption by the city council, a mandate was issued to develop the ambitions in the development perspective into a masterplan. This shows the functional-spatial area layout, urban design and the development strategy. The masterplan answers questions such as: What will be built and where will it be located? What will projects, broadly speaking, look like? When will what happen, with and by whom, and under what conditions? The masterplan is a dynamic document that changes in step with the phased development of the planning area. The project spans an area of around 95 ha. In addition to Flora Campus Westland, this project consists of the existing Royal Flora Holland (RFH) auction complex situated between Dijkweg and Middel Broekweg (54 ha) and the Mars building as a future extension of the auction complex at TradeParc Westland (TPW), which is situated between Middel Broekweg and Lange Broekweg (12 ha). Flora Campus Westland (23 ha) forms the southern sub-area (the area south of the auction, roughly bounded by Veilingroute, Lange Broekweg, Burgemeester Elsenweg (N213) and Middel Broekweg) of the total project area. Project area (95 ha) Royal Flora Holland (54 ha) Mars building (12 ha) Flora Campus Westland (23 ha) Existing roads and water (6 ha) 2 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
Flora Campus Westland Flora Campus Westland is a haven of knowledge and innovative ideas around greenhouse horticulture in Westland. It is a centre of expertise where students, researchers, start-ups and established companies alike can work together on tomorrow’s green horticultural innovations. The Flora Campus Westland Masterplan was designed around the centrally located Florapark and mobility hub. The park is surrounded by seven building clusters, each encompassing a specific combination of functions. Flora Campus Westland can be characterised as a mixed-function area (learning, business, and residential) dedicated to economic themes such as horti-tech and horti-health, complemented by facilities for the town of Naaldwijk and Westland municipality and the construction of 1,250 residences, 200 housing units for students and a Migrant Workers’ Hotel with 400 housing units for migrant workers. These units are not independent residences, but lodging facilities for international staff. Strengthening Westland’s leading global position within greenhouse horticulture requires bringing together the right knowledge and talent. For that reason, Flora Campus Westland will have good accessibility to the Rotterdam-The Hague metropolitan region. The area will be designed and developed around a mobility hub, allowing knowledge and talent from the region to travel easily to and from Westland. This innovative mobility hub, which will also contribute to the mobility transition in Westland, will be connected to a new and comprehensive, centrally located park – Florapark – as an element that defines its identity. 3 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
Florapark The entrance to the new Florapark is on Middel Broekweg, a historic ribbon traditionally serving as an important physical but also socio-cultural link between Westland’s municipal centres. Centrally located in the area covered by the plan, the park connects to the surrounding area through a number of green fingers. Different construction areas are created between the green fingers of the park, with clusters of buildings being built in stages. Florapark’s function is to facilitate places to stay and meet, and is attractive for residential as well as business and recreational purposes. This will be achieved through a mix of footpaths, small sports facilities, space for events, and landscape elements with water features and green spaces. Florapark not only serves a function for local residents, employees and students, but it also provides important green space for Westland and creates new ecological and recreational green corridors on a larger scale. Florapark will create a new connection between the Wollebrand recreational area on the south-east side of the planning area and the green space around the Naaldwijkse Vaart on the north-west side. A central feature of Florapark is the Hortus Lab, serving as a visitor attraction. Westland Municipality has set high requirements for landscaping in terms of surface area and layout of greenery and water. Florapark alone comprises 62,500 m2 of green space (excluding the communal courtyards between the houses). Lowered banks totalling 6,000 m2 along watercourses in the project area contribute to improving biodiversity. The Horti Business clusters feature greenery at ground level (13,000 m2 ) as well as vertical greenery. 4 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
5 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
7 Clusters Around Florapark, the west side bounded by the N213 is predominantly intended for residential construction and public facilities. On the east side, next to the logistics complexes of Royal Flora Holland, a bustling and lively cluster for research, horti-tech, horti-health and education will arise in conjunction with the existing World Horti Centre complex. A mix of functions in Flora Campus Westland – 50% residential, 25% business and 25% public facilities – creates a lively area with ample focus on social safety. Mobility Cluster Student housing Mobility hub Facilities Cluster Sports ISW Westland Vakcollege+ Residential Cluster 1 6 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
RFH offices Horti Hotel Westland Migrant Workers’ Hotel RFH Mars building Modular Parking building Phase 1 Horti Business Tower Modular Parking building Phase 2 Horti Business Cluster 1 WHC Horti Business Cluster 2 Hortus Lab Greenhouse of the Future Florapark Residential Cluster 3 Residential Cluster 2 7 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
Map of the Masterplan RFH MIddel Broekweg N465 N213 Migrant Workers’ Hotel Mars RFH Mobility Cluster Student housing Modular Parking building Phase 1 Horti Business Tower Mobility hub Horti Business Cluster 1 WHC Modular Parking building Phase 2 (flex living) ISW Westland Vakcollege+ Horti Business Cluster 2 Facilities Cluster Florapark Hortus Lab Greenhouse of the Future Residential Cluster 1 Residential Cluster 2 Residential Cluster 3 Lange Broekweg 8 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland 0 25 50 100 200
Mobility Cluster A mobility hub with high-quality public transport and bus facilities as well as a K+R (Kiss + Ride) area will be developed next to the crossroads of Middel Broekweg and the N213 motorway. This lively, central area will form the physical gateway and visual entrance, as it were, to Flora Campus Westland. Travellers coming from the mobility hub will immediately see where to walk to on arrival. Conversely, if you are leaving from work, home or school, you can clearly see how to get to the mobility hub by bike or on foot. Short walkways from the platforms of the mobility hub lead to a large pedestrian crossing where pedestrians and cyclists can safely cross to the head of Florapark. From here, it is a pleasant walk to work, college, home or other facilities. Facilities Cluster To the south of Middel Broekweg, on the N213 side, the Masterplan provides for the development of new facilities, which will be easily accessible via the mobility hub. The Facilities Cluster will accommodate social programmes such as ISW Westland Vakcollege+, a sports hall with facilities and a mix of catering, retail and other services located on ground level. Flex workstations or coworking spaces can also be provided here. The other part of the Facilities Cluster will be combined with 500 residential units for different target groups. 9 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
10 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
11 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
Residential Clusters 1, 2 and 3 At Flora Campus Westland, residential apartments are provided in stacked complexes. This approach is based on housing requirements of Zuid Holland province around high quality public transport hubs, as well as the high development density in the area resulting from the municipal schedule of requirements. Suitable housing will be built for students, first-time buyers, move-up buyers and workers. Affordable housing in a green environment is the underlying premise. Flora Campus Westland offers opportunities for social rent, mid-rent and affordable home ownership and thus provides housing mainly for young people, first-time buyers and middle-income earners. Accommodation is also available for specific target groups such as migrant workers and students. With these residential developments, Flora Campus Westland will significantly contribute to meeting local and regional housing demands while providing a place for the talent Westland needs to continue to be a market leader in protected horticulture by 2050. There are ample opportunities for working from or near home. A variety of mixed-use housing in different price categories will be developed in Residential Cluster 1, with a small share of working spaces and facilities at ground level. Residential development will follow the line of the N213 motorway, with high-rise accents to the N213 on the Naaldwijk side. Residential Clusters 2 and 3 on the quiet south side of Florapark near Lange Broekweg will comprise a variety of stacked housing developments. Some of these are designated for luxury flats in the private sector. Semi-detached low-rise buildings will be suitable here to ensure a smooth transition to the existing residential units. 12 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
13 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
14 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
Horti Business Cluster 1 en 2 Flora Campus Westland is a lively residential and business district but also a unique addition to the Glass City (Glazen Stad), showcasing Westland's distinctive entrepreneurship and innovation talent. Rather than taking the traditional approach of single-storey industrial units, this is achieved through stacked construction with flexible business space that favours an innovation-oriented working environment. The Horti Business Clusters at Flora Campus Westland are primarily intended for companies that focus on technology for protected horticulture, or on the relationship between horticulture and healthy food (horti-health). These technologies are normative for the future of horticulture and are used, for example, by companies that focus on and develop climate control systems, artificial intelligence (AI), sensor technology, robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), integrated cultivation systems and/or vertical farming. Collaboration between these types of companies is fostered by bringing them together in this area, amid a large production and sales market. Horti Business Cluster 1 is formed by the WHC complex with its test greenhouse. Space will also be provided for a business centre and hotel with 80 rooms, clustered and designed as the Horti Business Tower. Horti Business Cluster 2 offers innovation-oriented and horti tech related business space for companies. An important element of this is the Greenhouse of the Future (Kas van de Toekomst), a shared research facility that other companies in the area can use. The cluster will include flexible multi-tenant (horti-tech) buildings, in which the size of business units can be adapted to the evolving need for space of established companies. This makes establishment attractive for start-ups and scale-ups as well as grown-ups. The Business Clusters are connected by a promenade leading from the Horti Business Tower to the Greenhouse of the Future. Space is also provided in this cluster for mature businesses that need premises with customised facilities and an individual look and feel. These are larger companies with space requirements ranging between 5,000 to 10,000 m2 . 15 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
Student housing Mix of functions at ground level Kiosk Bus island Mobility hub 16 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
Migrant Workers’ Hotel Bicycle park Mobility In the landscape of Flora Campus Westland, the emphasis around Florapark is on slow traffic, such as walking and cycling in combination with high-quality public transport. From Florapark itself, cars and motorised vehicles are hardly visible. Slow traffic is conducive to a culture of vibrancy and social encounters. To provide good access to the area, five metropolitan express cycle lanes will be developed between Naaldwijk, The Hague, Rotterdam, Rijswijk and Delft. But Flora Campus Westland is also easily accessible for vehicle traffic from three directions which, together, lead to the area covered by the plan via an outer ring road. This ensures a low-traffic and pedestrian-friendly area. It is projected that 2,400 parking spaces will be created in the area covered by the plan – 1,000 for residents, 1,000 for businesses and 400 for visitors. Due to its location on a high-quality public transport network and the mix of functions within the clusters, parking standards can be reduced by 40%. Two public car parks will be built on either side of the Mobility Cluster. On the Europaweg side, there will be a modular parking building that can be expanded to accommodate business development and visitor numbers. On the N213 side, several interconnected car parks will be built for residents and visitors. 17 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
Collaboration Flora Campus Westland sets the scene for entrepreneurs, researchers, and students from the Netherlands and beyond. Talent, business, knowledge institutes and educational institutions come together here to work on digitalisation, robotisation and AI (artificial intelligence) and their application in the advanced horticultural sector. Thanks to this innovative mindset, the campus is a business-driven campus with room for start-ups, scale-ups but also established companies, with the focus on knowledge rather than (bulk) production or agrologistics. Flora Campus Westland will be strengthened by both the Hortus Lab focusing on combining health and greenhouse horticulture as well as a new field lab for research on crop development, AI and digitalisation in the Greenhouse of the Future. Horti Campus Westland will thus be complementary to the Greenport campuses in Bleiswijk and Barendrecht. Furthermore, collaboration with research universities and universities of applied sciences will be actively pursued, as is already the case with LDE (LeidenDelft-Erasmus collaboration). Flora Campus Westland aims to encourage young people to fulfil their potential in Westland, each at their own level. Making a continuous learning trajectory visible should be conducive to this ambition, from secondary vocational education to higher vocational education and university education, with horti-tech and horti-health as central themes. This will also be physically visible, as all forms of education will have their own space. And for secondary vocational education, the new ISW Westland Vakcollege+ will be built in the project area. 18 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
Next steps Following the adoption of the masterplan, a number of items will be formalised and further developed into specific investment proposals in the coming months. These include the collaboration agreement with the landowners concerned, commercial exploitation and acquisition of land and updating the zoning plan. The first available locations could be allocated starting in the first half of 2024. 19 Masterplan Flora Campus Westland
1 Online Touch