Revitalising Wemeldinge Noordzijde

Wemeldinge Noordzijde in the Municipality of Kapelle experiences regular flooding at times of heavy rainfall. This issue is caused not just by increasing levels of rainfall, but also by an outdated sewage system and the grey nature of the roads and sidewalks. 

Residential consultations have played a crucial role in the design of the pilot. The residents voted for the greenest and most climate resilient options presented to them. As a result, the ambition of this pilot has been greatly enhanced compared to the original pilot anticipated at the start of the Nature Smart Cities project.

The ambitious residential pilot, which has been completed in May 2022 and ran alongside the renewal of the sewerage system, lead to a dramatic regeneration of the residential area. In total 6.640 m2 of road surfaces, parking spaces and pavements were replaced with alternative green permeable options. New attractive communal green areas were created, resulting in an almost double amount of green space. From 8.280 m2 originally, to 15.220m2 now. The result is an attractive green residential area, designed in close collaboration with its residents, that reduces the risk of localised flooding and delivers a wealth of other benefits.