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Landbouwbelang (squat)

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Landbouwbelang
Large industrial building
Street view of Landbouwbelang in 2010
Map
General information
Architectural styleindustrial
AddressBiesenwal 3
Town or cityMaastricht
CountryNetherlands
Coordinates50°51′19″N 5°41′40″E / 50.85528°N 5.69444°E / 50.85528; 5.69444
Current tenantsCultural Freezone Landbouwbelang
Completed1939
OwnerCity of Maastricht
Website
landbouwbelang.org

The Landbouwbelang (LBB) is a squatted self-managed social centre in Maastricht, the Netherlands. It functions as a venue for cultural events and has been squatted since April 2002. It is located in the Boschstraatkwartier neighbourhood, on the bank of river Meuse (Dutch: Maas) and next to the production site of a paper manufacturer Sappi. In 2023, the city council awarded the tender for redevelopment to a consortium of businesses planning to convert the Landbouwbelang into residential apartments, student housing and new bases for the Maastricht Academy of Dramatic Arts and Maastricht Academy of Music.

History

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In the 13th century, a monastery of the Hospital Brothers of Saint Anthony was built on land beside the river Meuse (Dutch: Maas).[1][2] It was in use until 1783, then damaged badly in the sieges of both 1793 and 1794.[2] A large building was constructed in 1939 for processing and storing cereals by the Vereniging Landbouwbelang of Roermond.[3][1] The cereal processing activities ceased in the 1970s; the building was acquired by the neighbouring paper mill and then purchased by the City of Maastricht.[4]

The space served as a venue for community events before being squatted on 6 April 2002.[4][5] Taking its name from the original owners, the Landbouwbelang self-managed social centre reported 10,000 annual visitors in 2015.[6][1] People built rooms for living and the squat became an alternative cultural centre, hosting a restaurant, a yoga centre, martial arts training, dance events and a bar.[7] Artists, designers and social entrepreneurs have working spaces at Landbouwbelang.[8]

Despite the Dutch squatting ban, removing squatters requires an eviction court order and in order to have that granted, the owner of the building needs to present a development plan for the squatted building.[9] According to the communications of the City of Maastricht there were currently none as of 2016.[10]

Proposed redevelopment

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In 2023, the city council awarded the tender for redevelopment to a consortium of businesses planning to convert the Landbouwbelang into residential apartments, student housing and new bases for the Maastricht Academy of Dramatic Arts and Maastricht Academy of Music. The architects chosen were Tuñon and Albornoz of Madrid.[2] The squatters did not support the new plans.[11] Discussions concerning the squatters moving to the Timmerfabriek [nl] were objected to by the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) in 2025.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Landbouwbelang". Nieuwe Instituut. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  2. ^ a b c Sanchez, Oscar A. (24 May 2023). "Tuñon y Albornoz Arquitectos and team win the competition to design Landbouwbelang". Metalocus. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  3. ^ Vereniging Landbouwbelang Roermond 1914–1939. Vereniging Landbouwbelang Roermond. 28 September 1939. pp. 19–21.
  4. ^ a b Zuidgeest, Arjen. "Landbouwbelang history". landbouwbelang.org. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  5. ^ Roland Ockhuysen (12 January 1996). "Regisseurs vieren vakantie in kennisland aan de Maas". De Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  6. ^ Zuidgeest, Arjen. "LBB annual review 2015". landbouwbelang.org. Retrieved 12 February 2017.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "Landbouwbelang". Nieuwe Instituut. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  8. ^ Janssen, Bert (29 September 2013). Cultural Freezone Landbouwbelang (in Dutch). Maastricht: Organic Press. ISBN 978-90-75924-12-1. Archived from the original on 25 February 2019.
  9. ^ Kim Aupers (29 March 2016). "Krakers ontruimen". Van Till advocaten. Retrieved 10 December 2016.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ "Landbouwbelang". Belvédère Maastricht. Archived from the original on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  11. ^ Vaendel, Dennis (25 May 2023). "New purpose for Landbouwbelang (LBB), cultural free space disappears". Observant. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  12. ^ van Appeven, Stephan (17 July 2025). "VVD: Timmerfabriek mag geen tweede Landbouwbelang worden". RTV Maastricht (in Dutch). Retrieved 22 July 2025.

Further reading

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Media related to Landbouwbelang at Wikimedia Commons

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