Work is about to start on building Amsterdam’s first permanent refugee centre, some 11 years after it was first mooted, council officials have now confirmed.

The centre, which will provide housing for 500 people, is being built in the Houthaven residential area, west of central station – a location which was approved by the council and established in zoning plans several years ago.

The new centre will be built on land next to the 4e Gymnasium secondary school and will include an underground car park for local residents. The centre will be run by the COA refugee agency, which has described the plan as a “welcome contribution to the long-term care of refugees in our country”.

Work on the centre will start in the spring and the aim is to complete it by 2026.
The capital has several temporary refugee centres, mainly on the outskirts of the city. Some 650 people live in converted containers in Nieuw-West and that centre will close when the new one opens.

Amsterdam is also providing accommodation for 3,400 people from Ukraine and a further 4,000 refugees on ships and in hotels.

On Tuesday it emerged that Amsterdam has failed to meet government targets on providing permanent accommodation for refugees with residency permits.