%X The heat transition - the transition from gas to sustainable alternatives as the primary source of heating has been taking off in the Netherlands. However, the implementation of heat transition projects is often faced with challenges. These challenges are related to the novelness of the projects, (non)participation, management, monetary issues and lengthy implementation processes. Therefore, the Dutch government assigned ‘testing gardens’, where municipalities can test projects related to the heat transition and can learn the necessary lessons for upscaling the transition. One of these testing gardens is Selwerd, an after-war neighbourhood in which the municipality of Groningen wants to realise a district heat network. This research conducts a case study on the implementation of the district heat net in Selwerd, dividing the project into the planning and implementation phases. During these phases, theories regarding participatory planning, stakeholder dynamics and the governance approach are applied to the case. Empirical data is obtained from two sources: policy analysis and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders. Combining these two data sources allows for a clearer picture of the project and its necessary context, giving in-depth information on the case. This study concludes with two implications related to stakeholder management and governance styles, which are expected to be important when constructing other heat nets in similar situations. They are (1) the involvement of all relevant stakeholders starting from the planning phase, in case of changing stakeholder dynamics and shifting stakeholder positions at a later stage, and (2) the importance of the role of the municipality during the whole process, in both the planning and implementation phase. For planning theory, an important finding is how challenging it is to implement such a large scale project in Dutch neighbourhoods, with high participatory and democratic standards but diverging interests and lacking citizen engagement. It raises the question of whether the current demands and expectations on municipalities regarding participatory planning and the heat transition are too high. The central government might need to seriously intervene through more top-down manners if it plans on following through on its climate agreement.
%A D Moerman
%L theses_frw3826
%D 2022
%T Planning practice and heat transition: a case study on the planning and implementation of a district heat network in Selwerd, an after-war neighbourhood in Groningen