Window on the Netherlands: Cracks in the Myth: Challenges to Land Policy in the Netherlands

In the international literature and discussions on land management, Dutch land policy is often presented as a special case, sometimes even as a role model for other countries. However, in recent years this policy has come under pressure as a consequence of institutional changes in the housing market, the social housing sector, spatial policy and European competition rules. This paper intends to unravel these changes and their effect on Dutch land policy. It also reflects upon the implications of land policy changes for the effectiveness of spatial policy.