no more dark stores in residential areas
It has been coming for a while, but now it really is: flash delivery services will no longer be welcome in residential areas in Amsterdam. According to the Commission, it was established last year that flash delivery can have ‘negative effects’ on the environment and that dark stores often do not fit in with the changes. With the help of an (existing) dark shop to legalize a ‘good living and living climate in the city is guaranteed’. If that is not the case, the dark store cannot come or stay in that place.
Earlier this year, Amsterdam already took a flashy preparatory decision to curb the proliferation of the distribution centers. Due to this planning horse tool, flash delivery drivers can no longer open new branches in the city for a year.
This gives the municipality time to make policy for this new industry that is growing rapidly and causing nuisance in many places in the city. According to the municipality, local residents mainly experience noise nuisance and nuisance from crowds caused by couriers and bicycles in front of the door.
Following facts
In the past, the city has lagged behind with new business models such as Airbnb and Uber. Diemen and Amstelveen also annex such a preparatory decision for flash deliverers.
Amsterdam is now drawing up an ‘umbrella zoning plan’, resulting flash delivery drivers can no longer settle freely in the city. Until then, the continuation decision will remain in effect. Before opening a dark store, the companies will have to apply for a change in the zoning plan. ‘The municipality can then assess whether a dark store at that location has capacity and under what conditions,’ the council writes.
It will then be examined whether opening a new distribution center will not lead to noise nuisance for the neighbourhood, nuisance at night, excessive pressure on public space and an unsafe environment. a step-by-step plan will be followed an assessment will be made of the arrival of a dark store ‘acceptably planned’.
‘No interaction’
The basic principle is that there will no longer be distribution centers in residential areas or daily commuting areas and only in business environments. For example, residential and work areas include shopping streets with houses above them. In De Pijp, the municipality already wants to close three branches of Zapp, Getir and Gorillas, because people live above them and the ‘impact on the large’ is.
According to the college, dark stores have a different function than regular stores because there is ‘no interaction’ with shoppers. Complaints about noise nuisance also show that the rush hour for speed cameras is late at night and therefore does not adhere to the traditional day and night rhythm, which increases the nuisance. Speed camera delivery drivers prefer to be as close as possible to their customers.
“We have seen that policy has to do with,” said alderman Marieke van Doorninck (Spatial Planning). “The complaints and nuisance that are already there show that in residential areas it is difficult to combine these establishments with good spatial planning and a liveable neighbourhood. We therefore do not want new establishments in residential areas and districts. also testing a dark store with flash delivery is indeed a thing of the past.”
The more than thirty dark stores that have already been opened will also be measured by the municipality against the yardstick of the umbrella zoning plan. Whether many arise that can remain open will be the question.