On behalf of PME Pensioenfonds, Achmea Real Estate has purchased 517 homes and approximately 1,580 m² of commercial and community space in the SoZa project in The Hague from property developer and builder VORM. The homes are part of the redevelopment of the former Ministry of Social Affairs site on Anna van Hannoverstraat. A new urban district will be built there, comprising nearly 1,200 homes, offices and amenities.
The purchase includes three buildings containing a total of 114 student homes, 135 mid-range rental homes, and 268 private-sector rental homes. The project is expected to help increase the available housing for various target groups in The Hague. The site is located in the Central Innovation District (CID), right next to Den Haag Laan van NOI station. This purchase brings Achmea Real Estate’s (ARE) total investment volume on behalf of its customers this year to more than €500 million, which includes previous investments in the residential projects Hibi in Amsterdam and Boogie Wood in The Hague.
Boris van der Gijp, Co-Chair of ARE: ‘This is a unique purchase. SoZa is one of the largest inner-city regeneration sites in the Netherlands, situated in a location steeped in the history of The Hague. The project combines affordable housing, student accommodation and private-sector rental properties in an easily accessible location. By doing this on behalf of PME Pensioenfonds, we are both creating an attractive investment and helping to address the housing shortage in the region.’
Marcel Andringa, Managing Director at PME: ‘This investment adds a significant number of homes to our portfolio. SoZa provides housing for various target groups in an area where there is high demand for residential accommodation. This means we are helping to meet housing needs in the Netherlands while also generating a stable long-term return for our participants.’
Hans Meurs, CEO of VORM: “It is precisely at a time such as this, when the need for housing is so great, that strong players must take responsibility. Achmea Real Estate’s investment in SoZa underscores the confidence in this location and in this partnership. During the first phase, in addition to the 517 homes for ARE, we are also building 251 social housing units. We expect to reach an agreement for these with a housing association in The Hague this summer. We are absolutely delighted about this and are full of energy as we continue to build this new neighbourhood.”
You can now read the full press release at the link below
