The Netherlands is a small, densely populated country that has significant and traditionally export-oriented agricultural sector. It has one of the highest populations per square kilometre of arable land in OECD countries, and a large number of small − but highly productive farms. Moreover, its relatively small size means that a city can be reached within half an hour almost everywhere in the Netherlands. Land use in the Netherlands is highly urbanised in comparison with many EU countries, and in large parts of the country the differences between urban and rural landscapes are disappearing (OECD, 2008e).
The Netherlands has known a long tradition of land use planning in which separation of urban and rural areas was a key concern. Zoning policy has been used to manage the spatial demands of diverse interests. This holds in particular for the demand for houses and business sites on the one hand, and agricultural land use on the other (Overbeek and Vader, 2006).
The Randstad is the most urbanised part of the Netherlands. It contains the major cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague and Delft, as well as a number of satellite urban areas. These peri-urban areas are often embedded between several cities and are used for work and recreation not only by urban citizens that live closest, but also by citizens of several nearby cities. However, the Randstad is a major agricultural producer, especially for green-house agriculture, and also has a significant dairy sector.
Dutch spatial policy established eight buffer zones in the region in 1958 as a way to control urban sprawl and maintain green space (van Rij, Dekkers and Koomen, 2008). While there has been continual pressure for urban expansion, these buffer zones continue to provide accessible green space to a large urban population (OECD, 2008e).
A key factor to success has been strong land-use controls accompanied by government purchase of land (Alterman, 1997). On acquiring land, the government guarantees that its use will not be changed. This, combined with a comprehensive land plan that originates at the national level and is reinforced at the provincial and local level, assures that development pressures are shifted away from land designated as green space.
In general, the Dutch system has been successful in controlling farmland conversion and in maintaining agriculture. Agriculture in the Randstad falls into two broad categories (Alterman, 1997). The first is what might be called conventional open-air farming, primarily dairy. The second is highly intensive controlled environment agriculture that takes place in greenhouses. Of the two types the first has high amenity values, but low profits, while the second has low amenity values but high profits. Greenhouse, or glass-house, agriculture is carried out in high concentrations, has a physical appearance of an industrial facility and provides no visual or open space amenities. Meanwhile, the dairy industry in the Randstad faces challenges due to: its urban location, small herd sizes and problems associated with drainage and manure management.
Van Rij, Dekkers and Koomen (2008) reviewed development in the Midden-Delfland buffer zone in the Randstad between 1995 and 2004. The main objectives of management of the zone are: to preserve open space, develop recreational areas and improve farming conditions. The area consists of 6 600 hectares that were originally used for dairy farms. Dairy farms still occupy 4000 hectares in the middle of the zone, but the periphery has been converted to recreation areas, nature uses and greenhouses. These provide a buffer within the buffer for animal agriculture and allow higher-value land uses close to urban demand. Land purchases were concentrated at the edge of the zone to most effectively limit urban encroachment. In the remainder of the zone land uses are established through a consensus-based process that incorporates local groups and property owners. It is important to note that comprehensive zoning is not used to establish land uses (Van Rij, Dekkers and Koomen, 2008).
While land uses changed on 12% of the land in the study period, only 0.04% of the 6600 hectares went to built-up urban uses. Greenhouse expansion accounted for 3.5% more of the change in use, while 5.6% more land went into nature uses. From their perspective, Van Rij, Dekkers and Koomen (2008) conclude that two of the three management goals were clearly achieved. However, they note that conditions in the dairy sector are still difficult, so the third goal of improving farming conditions was only partially achieved.
Overall, future developments will increase the demand for rural land and agricultural land use is very likely to become more differentiated according to proximity to cities (OECD, 2008e). Farmland near cities might remain farmland, but farmers will increasingly have to provide services demanded for by society, ranging from landscapes, nature values to regional identity. Rural areas further away from cities might continue to be areas of export-oriented agriculture, although further CAP reform and trade liberalisation might shift the comparative advantages, leading to changes in the rural landscape. An important policy challenge is management of rural landscape management and biodiversity as both are impacted by intensive agriculture and urbanisation.