Creating a Safer Place to Live Through Land Consolidation
Nyncke Afke Emmens & Bert Hoeve
The Netherlands is mainly shaped as it is nowadays because of disastrous floods. Many actions have been executed to adapt to the situation in which the majority of land is situated below sea level and so creating a safer place to live. However, there are side effects of successfully implementing solutions to adapt to this situation. On one hand, natural floodplains are nowadays being used intensively for functions like housing and agriculture. On the other hand people are not fully aware of the flood risks, nowadays mainly due to river flooding, that are still here and are increasing due to climate change. At present time the Netherlands is still the most vulnerable country in Europe to a natural disaster (United Nations University, B?ndnis Entwicklung Hilft Alliance Development Works, 2014). The last decade the national government started awareness campaigns and programs. On a more executing level she started developing new retention areas. In the Netherlands every parcel has an owner and a designated function. In case of realization of water retention area?s there is no or very little flexibility in choosing designated locations. So, to achieve water retention area?s it?s evident that ownership has to be re-divided and land use reassigned. The Netherlands? Cadastre, Land Registry and Mapping Agency, in short Kadaster, participates, facilitates and advices in many multi-purpose projects to create or improve conditions for sustainable rural development. Instruments as land consolidation and voluntary reallotment are effective instruments for creating farm enlargement, increasing natural values of areas, but also to help achieve realization of retention areas. The complex playing field however makes it very important to use the right instrument at the right place at the right time. ?Land consolidation Peize? is an illustrative example of the use of both instruments in different phases of a dynamic project resulting in the successful realization of a water retention area keeping the city of Groningen dry and safe.
Event: FIG Working Week 2016 : Recovery from Disaster
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