Environmental Vision
Environmental Vision 2040: smart into the future together
Gehighlighte text: Adopted by the City Council on May 27, 2025.
Environment vision at a glance:
- Purpose: to give direction to the future of Gemert-Bakel.
- Made together with: residents, entrepreneurs and organizations.
- Applies to: all villages within the municipality.
- Themes: housing, facilities and local economy, public space and landscaping provide space for new developments in the outlying area.
- Status: no laws or regulations, but a guiding vision.
About the environmental vision
The Environment Vision 2040 outlines how we keep our municipality livable, vital and attractive. It is an important tool for looking at the living environment in a coherent way. This means that we do not look at housing, nature, traffic or the economy in isolation. The environmental vision helps to properly weigh all these interests so that choices fit within the bigger picture and contribute to long-term livability. Gemert-Bakel is in a state of flux. With this vision we continue to work together towards a municipality in which everyone feels at home, now and in the future.
Ambitions for 2040
- Vital cores for everyone.
- Continue to respond to growth and take aging into account.
- Flexible housing and smart mobility.
- Digital facilities for all generations.
- Livable, attractive villages.
- An outdoor area full of new opportunities.
- Transformation of agriculture to new functions.
- Space for agricultural entrepreneurs and innovative techniques.
- Opportunities for nature development, water storage, recreation, housing and small-scale industry in the outlying area.
- Invitation to creative and future-oriented thinking.
Cohesion in policy: from separate puzzle pieces to one whole
The vision ties in with the Environment Act (since January 1, 2024) and provides:
- An integral look at themes.
- Better balancing of interests.
- Sustainable choices for current and future generations.
Created together
The vision was developed together with residents, village councils, entrepreneurs, (social and professional) organizations, the province, the water board and other partners. They were able to contribute to the Environment Vision in various ways, through citizen panels, interviews, data sharing and the Summer Tour in all church villages with accompanying co-creation sessions.
View or download the environmental vision 2040
- Draft Environmental Vision Gemert-Bakel 2040: is the complete environmental vision.
- Omgevingsvisie - part 1 - Koersdocument: describes the main themes for our living environment. For each theme consideration has been given to the desired future and development direction.
- Environmental vision - part 2 - building blocks: with the building blocks we give direction to the desired developments and indicate which accents we want to place.
- Environmental vision - part 3 - area-oriented elaboration: in the area-oriented elaboration we make concrete where in Gemert-Bakel there is room to preserve, strengthen or develop what we consider important for the living environment.
For an explanation of this image, please refer to the Environmental Vision.
Questions and Answers
What is an environmental vision?
An environmental vision is a strategic document in which the municipality lays down its long-term vision of the physical living environment. It contains goals and ambitions for the future.
Why an environmental vision?
Together we want to work on a municipality where everyone lives, works, recreates and has equal opportunities. The world is changing rapidly. Therefore, we need tools to address important issues in coherence. Think of the housing shortage, climate change, the rising demand for energy, inequality of opportunity and mobility in the region. The environmental vision provides these tools.
The environmental vision also stems from the Environment Act. This law requires all municipalities to prepare an Environmental Vision, in which it describes its vision of the future of its area.
What opportunities are there for housing development in small cores?
In all villages there is room for filling in empty spaces (infill), improving the quality of village centers and (re)developing vacant buildings.
How long is the environmental vision valid?
This Environmental Vision focuses on the year 2040. Society and the living environment are constantly changing. This requires a flexible approach. The Environment Vision is a dynamic document. At regular intervals, the vision is adapted to parts where necessary (think of an MOT). The dot on the horizon (for 2040) always remains the same. This also applies to the coherence between the various components.
What is not in an environmental vision?
An environmental vision does not contain rules that specify at the plot level what is and is not allowed. These rules are in the Environment Plan. The Environment Plan eventually replaces all the municipality's zoning plans.
Why is it mainly about vital cores and future-proof outlying areas?
These are the biggest tasks for our municipality to enable sustainable development towards 2040.
Do you have any questions?
If you have any questions about the environmental vision, please contact us via telephone number 0492-378 500 or via e-mail gemeente@gemert-bakel.nl.