The Hague’s new coalition has dropped plans for temporary accommodation in the former HagaZiekenhuis on Sportlaan and wants mainly senior housing there instead.
The city bought the hospital three years ago and proposed housing 750 people there for five to seven years, including asylum seekers, homeless families and students.
Local criticism focused on the number of residents and the mix of groups.
The coalition of Hart voor Den Haag, VVD, Denk and CDA then scrapped it.
Costs and social housing
Housing alderman Kavish Partiman has asked the council formally to withdraw the plan and wants a new one before summer 2027.
D66 says the reversal will cost a lot of money, with the city footing the bill so the Vogelwijk stays free of shelter.
The cost of rewriting the plans is to be charged to the building project, which the opposition fears will mean few or no social rented homes.
Fewer than 2% of Vogelwijk homes are social rentals and average prices near €1 million.
Partiman has hinted that the 25% social rent requirement is a ceiling rather than a minimum.
He says building could start in 2030 at the earliest, a deadline he does not expect to meet.
