The first new railway station in Friesland in 35 years will open at Werpsterhoeke, in the southern suburbs of Leeuwarden, after the government confirmed a €3.9 billion funding package.

The station, due to open in 2028, will be on the line between Leeuwarden and Heerenveen and serve newbuild suburbs housing some 65,000 people.

Hein de Haan, alderman responsible for spatial planning and housing, said the station was vital to ensure the neighbourhoods were well connected to centre of the Frisian capital and beyond.

The development will also include car parking for passengers travelling to other destinations in the Netherlands such as Amsterdam, Zwolle and Groningen.

It is the first time a passenger train station has opened in Friesland since 1991, when Leeuwarden Camminghaburen was added to the network.

De Haan told Omrop Fryslân: “It doesn’t happen often and it’s pretty complicated. So it’s great that we’re getting a new station to allow more people in Friesland to be provided with good connections.”