ROTTERDAM, 21 January 2026 – Rotterdam’s executive board has approved an area ambition document (gebiedsambitiedocument) that sets the direction for the Keile Quarter (Keilekwartier) in Merwe-Vierhavens (M4H). The plan keeps space for existing creative makers while working towards 1,200 to 1,700 homes in the longer term.
The document describes Keilekwartier as a future live-work district with shared facilities, including a shared heat system, material reuse, and shared indoor and outdoor spaces. It also states that the first years focus on strengthening the existing ecosystem of makers and businesses, before housing becomes possible.
Keilekwartier Rotterdam plan sets housing and maker priorities
Rotterdam’s ambition is to add 1,200 to 1,700 homes in Keilekwartier, while keeping room for the makers and entrepreneurs already active there to keep experimenting. The area ambition document also points to shared provisions, such as one collective heat system, reusing materials, and sharing spaces across the district.
Alderman Chantal Zeegers, responsible for climate, construction and housing, said: “Thanks to the unique collaborations with the parties already active in the area, a new piece of city is being added across Merwe-Vierhavens with at least 3,000 homes for different target groups. This is truly a case of building the city together.”
Rotterdam has approved a new plan for Keilekwartier in M4H, aiming for 1,200–1,700 homes long term while keeping space for creative makers and workshops.
Rotterdam M4H timeline keeps housing out of Keilekwartier for now
The municipality says no homes will be built in Keilekwartier for the next ten years. Traffic, noise and smell conditions need to improve first, with the note that if those conditions improve sooner, housing construction could also start earlier.
Development is being shaped with input from entrepreneurs in the area, organised under the Keile Cooperative (Keilecoöperatie). A first step is described as strengthening collaboration among existing businesses and mapping out the need for affordable workspaces.
Rotterdam Marconikwartier plan moves forward near Marconiplein
The same update links Keilekwartier to the nearby Marconikwartier, where an ambition document was approved earlier. Marconikwartier is set to become a mixed district with homes, workplaces and facilities such as schools or hospitality, with around 2,300 homes planned in total.
Rotterdam says 800 homes have already been realised in the Lee Towers, and that the housing is mainly intended for starters and small households. The plan also describes offices for uses such as start-ups and tech companies, and positions the area as highly accessible thanks to its location near the Marconi Square public transport hub (Marconiplein), its low-traffic character, and strong walking and cycling routes.
M4H Rotterdam planning sets next steps for Keilekwartier and Marconikwartier
Rotterdam’s executive board has submitted the Keilekwartier area ambition document to the city council. It will be discussed together with the already-approved Marconikwartier ambition document in the council committee BWB (commissie BWB).
For Marconikwartier, work continues on a master plan (Masterplan) with landowners, which the municipality expects to be ready in 2027. For Keilekwartier, the next step still needs to be determined.
While the first steps in Keilekwartier and Marconikwartier are now set on paper, Rotterdam expects construction of the first homes in the Merwehaven sub-area to start in late 2026 or early 2027. A fourth sub-area, Galilee Park (Galileipark), is planned as a work-focused area where living will not be added.
Marconikwartier and Keilekwartier are part of Merwe-Vierhavens (M4H), an area the municipality describes as roughly the size of Rotterdam city centre. The Port of Rotterdam Authority (Havenbedrijf Rotterdam) and the Municipality of Rotterdam (Gemeente Rotterdam) are developing it into a mixed live-work environment, with an ambition of around 10,000 new homes over the coming decades.
Where to read the Keilekwartier and Marconikwartier documents
Gebiedsambitiedocument Keilekwartier: https://m4hrotterdam.nl/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/bijlage-1-20260113_Keilekwartier_Gebiedsambitiedocument-DEF.pdf
Gebiedsambitiedocument Marconikwartier: https://m4hrotterdam.nl/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20250924_GAD_Marconikwartier_eindconcept.pdf
Appendix to Gebiedsambitiedocument Marconikwartier: https://m4hrotterdam.nl/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20250924_GAD_Marconikwartier_bijlage_eindconcept.pdf
