Housing demand and new construction in Den Helder were reported to be out of balance. While new developments mainly consist of family homes, estate agent Mark Heemskerk said there was greater demand for ground-floor apartments for older residents. More than a quarter of the municipality’s population is aged 65 or over, and many older people live in family homes they would like to exchange for more suitable housing. Such moves could also make homes available to starters and families.

The Den Helder Housing Foundation said it was taking the increased demand for senior housing into account. It completed 39 senior homes in Het Kasteel this year, plans 11 rental apartments in De Admiraal and is converting existing homes on Dintelstraat into accessible apartments. The municipality said demand was high among all groups and that several initiatives were still being assessed for feasibility, so their construction remained uncertain.