The first UrbanPlan workshop in Dutch has taken place. The Hageveld Atheneum in Heemstede was chosen to carry out a pilot; the school has planned a second session for next year. UrbanPlan is a realistic and attractive program at VWO level where students get acquainted with all facets of redesigning a district. The program fits within the existing curriculum of the schools and supports the wider understanding of processes for urban regeneration, investment and sustainable neighbourhoods.

Together, students form groups of real estate companies that respond to an invitation to tender from a fictitious municipality. Each group consists of a head of finance, a head of sustainability, a head of sales & marketing, a head of communication and a head of concept development. Just like in the real world, as a company they have to take into account the interests of all stakeholders but also ensure a good return on investment. During the design of their plan, with the help of a model and a finance app, they are advised by volunteers from the business community.

In the afternoon they present their plans to the ‘city council’, consisting of the same volunteers. Winners are then chosen on the themes of collaboration, investment return, creativity and sustainability.

UrbanPlan was planned to be implemented in nine schools before the summer holidays, however COVID-19 has meant that we are now postponing the programme into the later part of 2020 with a plan to still deliver to over fifteen schools within this year. UrbanPlan volunteers first take part in a training session of 3 hours and can then join in the school based workshops.

The volunteers who assisted at the Hageveld were very enthusiastic and called on colleagues to participate.

Would you like to participate? ULI members can support the program in different ways – as volunteers and as sponsors. For more information about the program please contact Robert de Jong: [email protected].

More information about UrbanPlan can be found at UrbanPlan.

We would like to thank the launch partners of UrbanPlan: Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Investment, Amvest, Bouwinvest, BPD, CBRE Global Investors, EY, NSI and PATRIZIA.

UrbanPlan Netherlands: UrbanPlan postponed all school programmes to the end of the year. We look forward to confirming the new dates in due course.