Utrecht council is appealing for prostitutes, brothel managers and investors to work with officials in planning the city’s new red light district.

‘We want to create a new, attractive place for window prostitution where sex workers can do their job safely, independently and in freedom,’ the council says on its website.

This ‘new approach’ requires care and consideration as well as the involvement of local residents, sex workers, investors and brothel managers, the council says.

Potential investors have to fill in a form asking them if they are aware of the signs of human trafficking and if they have been the subject of an integrity investigation (bibob). They are also being asked to supply a business plan and a ‘personal story’.

The new red light district replaces the old floating brothels which have been closed since 2013 when the five brothel owners lost their licence because of concerns they were involved in human trafficking.

Efforts by prostitutes to take over the boats and run them independently failed.

The new red light district is set to open for business in 2017.