ABSTRACT
The Rotterdam case considers some new forms of cooperation that have one thing in common: they influence – directly or indirectly – the development of the northern part (in Dutch: ‘Noordrand’) of the Rotterdam territory. This area is strategically located between the cities of Rotterdam and The Hague, along the inner flank of the Randstad (the conurbation of the four largest cities in The Netherlands). The last decades this area has hardly been developed because of a status quo that resulted from the cancellation of an ambitious revitalization project in the mid 1980s. This rejected project intended to develop residential and economic functions, using the Rotterdam airport as catalyst. At that time, the discussion concentrated on the tension between environmental protection and economic development. Much resistance stemmed from the expected rise in noise. After the project was cancelled by the national government, nothing at all happened in the area in the years after. Recently, however, a new situation is emerging. Some projects are being developed, aiming to strengthen the region’s competitive position.
