ROTTERDAM, 27 June 2023 – In a significant stride towards marine restoration, Rotterdam-based startup Oyster Heaven has secured €800,000 in funding from Orange Wings Investments. The investment will bolster the startup's mission to regenerate lost oyster reefs on a global scale, a first-of-its-kind initiative in the realm of cost-effective marine restoration.

Oyster Heaven's mission

Oyster Heaven, established by George Birch in 2021, is pioneering a solution to a pressing environmental issue. Oyster reefs, once covering 20-30% of the North Sea, have been reduced to a mere 5% of their original extent due to overharvesting. These reefs are crucial to marine ecosystems, providing habitats for numerous species, filtering water, and naturally managing excess nitrogen, thereby combating climate change.

The startup's innovative approach involves the creation of a low-cost and efficient substrate for oysters, known as the Mother Reef. This natural reef system, made of clay and preloaded with baby oysters (or “spats” in Dutch), is designed to repopulate the barren sea floor.

The Mother Reef: A scalable solution

Following two years of successful lab and field testing, Oyster Heaven continues to validate the efficacy of the Mother Reef at Stichting Zeeschelp in Zeeland. Thus far, tens of thousands of baby oysters have attached to the Mother Reefs and are thriving, demonstrating the potential of this technology to regenerate oyster reefs on a large scale.

Mother Reef

A sustainable model for ocean conservation

Oyster Heaven's approach uniquely combines ocean conservation with a financially scalable model. By partnering with local fishing communities to plant the Mother Reefs into the ocean, the startup is fostering a new circular economy.

George Birch, founder of Oyster Heaven, stated, “Sustainability has been the sole ambition of my career. Oyster Heaven is the opportunity to make this happen. Today, countries are in various stages of recognizing the value of ecosystem services. Oyster Heaven is leading the way, preparing for a society willing to pay for the services oyster reefs can provide.”

Shawn Harris, Orange Wings Investments’ founder and George Birch, Oyster Heaven’s founder

Future plans and impact

With the backing of Orange Wings Investments, Oyster Heaven plans to deploy 5 million oysters in Europe and the US in 2024, with a goal of regenerating 100 million oysters by 2027. This initiative is expected to significantly enhance marine biodiversity, water quality, and waste management across various industries.

ROTTERDAM, 23 June 2023 – A new initiative to combat antisocial driving behaviour is being launched in Rotterdam. The city is introducing a series of measures, including hefty fines, to deter drivers who repeatedly flout traffic rules.

Rotterdam's response to antisocial drivers

The city of Rotterdam is acting against drivers causing nuisance. This summer, the city will introduce a new enforcement method, imposing fines of €500 on drivers who repeatedly break traffic rules. This measure is part of the new Rotterdam Traffic Nuisance Approach (Rotterdamse Verkeersaso Aanpak - RVA), presented today by Alderman Vincent Karremans.

Antisocial driving behaviour, particularly during the summer months, is a significant annoyance in the city. Residents find it highly disruptive, impacting the city's liveability. This behaviour includes unnecessary rapid acceleration, modified cars with loud exhausts, cruising (show traffic), and loud music.

Alderman Vincent Karremans (Enforcement, Public Space and Mobility) stated, “We now have a set of stringent measures that will significantly impact those causing nuisance. Together with the police, we will eradicate antisocial traffic behaviour from our streets. Rotterdam is not, and will not become, a silence garden, but we aim for a more decent environment.”

The Rotterdam traffic nuisance approach

The approach comprises several robust measures to both stop the nuisance-makers and prevent nuisance:

• A dedicated 'traffic nuisance team' of municipal enforcers will focus specifically on antisocial driving behaviour.
• A fine of €280 for 'unnecessary noise nuisance' from vehicles will be imposed by the police and municipal enforcers. This includes unnecessary rapid acceleration, modified cars with loud exhausts, and loud music.
• Persistent offenders will be subject to a penalty under compulsion. Municipal enforcers will conduct targeted actions in streets with a high level of nuisance. Enforcers will observe, report, and impose the penalty under compulsion. For each subsequent offence, the driver will have to pay a penalty of €500, up to a maximum of €3000.
• Agreements will be made with car rental companies at regional and national levels to facilitate the seizure of rental cars more easily. This will curb the proliferation of fast, noisy rental cars with foreign licence plates.
• Noise meters will be installed at various locations to monitor noise nuisance. In collaboration with the traffic nuisance team and the police, this will help determine which locations and time periods require enforcement.
• A behaviour campaign will start in the summer of 2023, addressing the offending group about their behaviour.

One of the measures that will continue this year is the closure of streets in the city centre. More information about this and the complete package of measures can be found at rotterdam.nl/verkeersoverlast.    

ROTTERDAM, 22 June 2023 – A significant milestone has been reached in the renovation of Rotterdam's Central Library, as the city council grants approval to the preliminary designs and funding for the upcoming refurbishment. The planned start date for the renovation is autumn 2025, during which the library will be temporarily relocated for three years. The improved Central Library is expected to reopen at the end of 2028.

Preliminary designs approved

On Thursday, preliminary designs for the refurbishment and temporary housing of the Central Library (Centrale Bibliotheek) were approved by the city council, marking the official commencement of the renovation process. The designs are now to be finalised.

Maarten Struijvenberg, the Alderman for Finance, Organisation, Service and Major Projects, has expressed satisfaction with the council's decision to allocate the required investment for the Central Library's renovation. He noted the importance of maintaining momentum in the process of transforming the library into a 'city's living room', envisioning a future-proof library in a lush green environment.

Future-proof library in a green environment

The design team, comprised of Powerhouse Company, Atelier Oslo, and Lundhagem, envisages the library as a city's living room. While the building is to be preserved as a cultural-historical icon, the interior will be made lighter and more suitable for social interaction. Iconic features such as the yellow pipes, glass waterfall, and blue warehouse will be retained and enhanced.

With entrances on all sides, the building will feature a basement bicycle parking with space for approximately 1,500 bikes. The exterior space will also be reconfigured.

Theo Kemperman, the Director and Board member of Rotterdam Library, is positive about the city council's decision. He envisages a library with dynamic spaces for a diverse community of Rotterdam citizens. He also praised the plan's focus on sustainability and integration with the city and its visitors.

Revamp of Rotterdam Central Library: Provisional design revealed
Revamp of Rotterdam Central Library: Provisional design revealed
Revamp of Rotterdam Central Library: Provisional design revealed

Rotterdam citizens express their views

During a recent information meeting, Rotterdam citizens were invited to share their views on the preliminary design of the new Central Library and the temporary location. Regular visitor, Harro, praised the impressive design and described the library as a meeting place with a lot of activity. Another frequent visitor, Bart, admired the planned greenery surrounding the library.

Renovation planning

The renovation of the Central Library is expected to run from autumn 2025 to autumn 2028. During this period, the library will be relocated to a municipal office building at Librijesteeg 4, approximately 200 metres away from the current location. This building will undergo renovations starting next summer to be able to function as a library. In the autumn of 2028, the library will reopen its doors at Hoogstraat.

For more information, please visit www.nieuwecentralebibliotheekrotterdam.nl. Drop-in consultation hours are available from 29 June to 20 July, every Thursday from 11:00 to 12:00 at the Central Library (Renovation Workshop, ground floor).

Temporary housing on Librijesteeg

During the library's renovation phase, from autumn 2025 to autumn 2028, the library will be housed in the municipal office building on Librijesteeg 4.

The new location: Librijesteeg 4

Librijesteeg 4, the library's temporary home, is situated about 200 meters from the current location. This area is rich with culture and history, providing an inviting environment for library-goers. The library's future home on Hoogstraat is located in a vibrant neighbourhood, bustling with shops and cafés.

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ROTTERDAM, 22 June 2023 – Amidst escalating pressure on Rotterdam's housing market, the Dutch government has teamed up with city officials to unveil an innovative solution for its residents. This initiative focuses on creating transitional housing for recognised refugees (statushouders in Dutch), subsidised by the government.

Innovative solution to housing crisis

Rotterdam's real estate market is under considerable strain. Limited availability of social housing and extended waiting periods have intensified the crisis. The housing demand from recognised refugees further fuels the stress on the housing sector. As a response, Rotterdam has reached an agreement with the government to establish a transitional location for these recognised refugees, the cost of which will be borne by the government.

The government's annual assignment for housing recognised refugees had been manageable for Rotterdam until it recently doubled. Meeting this increased assignment would strain the city's resources and impact vulnerable groups and new market entrants needing housing.

A call for alternative measures

"This situation calls for alternative solutions. As a result of our quest for alternative methods, we have reached certain agreements with the government. These agreements help to ease pressure on both the housing market in Rotterdam and the nationwide challenge in the asylum process," stated alderman Faouzi Achbar (Welfare, Community, Sport and Digital Inclusion).

Agreements with the government and South Holland Province

As of 1 July, a temporary transitional location in the form of a ferry will be stationed in Rotterdam's Merwehaven. The ferry will provide temporary accommodation to recognised refugees assigned to Rotterdam, as well as those assigned to other municipalities in the Rotterdam-Rijnmond region.

This step helps not just the local home seekers but also the government and, where possible, the regional municipalities. Each regional municipality will be asked to account for the number of recognised refugees assigned to them in the Rotterdam commitment to asylum seeker reception if the dispersion law comes into force. Additionally, an agreement with South Holland Province ensured no asylum seeker center would be built on Barendrecht's territory bordering the vulnerable Lombardijen district of Rotterdam in the coming years.

Adherence to the coalition agreement

The agreements in the coalition agreement concerning asylum seekers and recognised refugees' reception in Rotterdam will remain unchanged, and the city council will continue to adhere to them.

Transition location and its role

The recognised refugees will commence their integration process at the transition location. The ones living on the ferry are part of the housing assignment. In the face of the housing shortage, these individuals currently reside in Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) locations across the country. This provision contributes to the national asylum process's fluidity.

Funding for flexible housing

Rotterdam will receive government funding for the construction of extra flexible dwellings for local first-time buyers, urgent seekers, and recognised refugees. Additional funds will be allocated for converting vacant healthcare and office buildings into residential spaces in Rotterdam. These efforts, along with the transitional location, are designed to ease housing market pressure and balance various groups' accommodation needs. Meanwhile, Rotterdam continues to build permanent homes for its residents.

Getting to the transitional housing location

The transitional housing location is situated at Merwehaven in Rotterdam. It is a bustling commercial area with good connections to public transport. Surrounded by numerous shops and eateries, Merwehaven provides an urban setting for the residents.

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