Tiny Houses in Lievingerveld

What is possible in Flevoland should also work here, the municipality of Midden-Drenthe may have thought. On a piece of land of approximately 22 hectares in the Lievingerveld district of Beilen, a self-build area is being developed that is strongly inspired by Oosterwold in Almere. Residents develop their own neighborhood and jointly take care of the construction of the infrastructure. You will find homes in all shapes and sizes, including Tiny Houses and Tiny+ homes.

Oosterwold in Beilen

Just like in Oosterwold (Almere), the residents of the Lievingerveld have been able to buy their spacious plots at a low land price, because they themselves are responsible for the construction of roads and utilities. Every resident is required to be a member of the residents’ association that coordinates these activities. Unique for the Netherlands: water storage must also be arranged by the residents themselves.

The municipality has an open character in mind for the area. A maximum of 25% of the plot is a residential area, which includes all buildings including two parking spaces. All buildings such as sheds, but also chicken coops and playground equipment are included in the residential area. At least 40% of the plot must be green. That can be a lawn, but also an orchard.

The neighborhood is free of aesthetics demands: there are no strict requirements for the appearance or use of materials of the houses. According to the zoning plan, there is room for one hundred and fifty homes, the plots of which have been issued in three rounds. A waiting list is used for the last available lots before new interested parties can register. Construction has now started or has already been completed for approximately one hundred and twenty homes, including nine Tiny Houses.

A street with Mill Home Tiny Houses

A group of enthusiastic residents who want to live in Tiny Houses in Lievingerveld set up a CPO (Collective Private Commissioning) and entered into a partnership with Tiny House construction company Mill Home. In 2020, Mill Home delivered the first four houses. In total there are eight houses in a group together, each owned on its own lot. Mill Home has also placed two more houses on individual lots.

Tiny and a bit bigger

Lievingerveld is therefore not a Tiny House neighborhood, but a neighborhood where all kinds of housing shapes and sizes are welcome. Homes are also being built and inhabited that don’t meet the Tiny House definition of <50 m2 living space, but can still be called compact homes: the Tiny+ homes. Ger Remmers lives in his self-built Tiny+ house in the area and managed to sum up the following distribution for us:

‘The Tiny House (+) score on Lieverveld is as follows:

Tiny (max. 50m2): 9 homes (average 36 m2/home).
Tiny+ (max 70 m2): 17 homes (average 61 m2 per home; including our home with 57m2).

Judging by the environmental permits issued, approximately 3 more Tiny+ homes will be added.

The zoning plan allows 150 homes (read “front doors”). With approximately 20% of this being Tiny and Tiny+, this indicates that Lievingerveld is meeting a substantial demand!’

Ger Remmers in front of his self-built Tiny+ home

Whether they had anticipated this or not, the municipality of Midden-Drenthe has provided space for the housing needs of a group of housing consumers that on average comprises 1/5th of the Dutch population: the desire for small detached houses in green surroundings. Oosterwold also remains as popular as ever. Space for self-build where Tiny and Tiny+ homes are welcome is scarce in the Netherlands, but in high demand. Hopefully more municipalities will follow in the footsteps of Almere and Midden-Drenthe.