The government’s planning bureau RPB has recommended that no more homes be built close to Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. It said that if the government was determined to ensure Schiphol remains an important transport hub, it should resist growing pressure from local authorities to build houses within the no-build zone.

At the same time, Schiphol should make better use of its capacity and limit the use of noisy aircraft and night flights. In addition, low-cost carriers could be shifted to alternative locations such as Lelystad, which would allow Schiphol to improve its intercontinental role, the RPB said.