PHILIPSBURG, – On September 23rd, the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (VROMI), has launched a tender for the development of a zoning plan for Sint Maarten.
Between 2011 and 2014, the Ministry implemented the Zoning Sint Maarten Project, under which 13 draft zoning plans were developed. In part,due to funding constraints, the plans were never finalized or submitted to Parliament for ratification. Last year, the Ministry asked the Netherlands’ Task Force Wederopbouw/Taskforce (TWO) to add the project to the country package and received €350,000 to complete the work.
The intention is not to start from scratch but to build upon the existing drafts. By law, zoning must be reviewed every five years, and the needs and realities of 12 years ago may not be reflected in the current draft plans.
“Most importantly, I want the public to understand that zoning isn’t about restricting. It’s about giving legal certainty,” said the Minister of VROMI, Patrice Gumbs during today’s press briefing statements. “It means certainty that the parcel of land you bought to build your home can accommodate your designs. Certainty that any development, including high-rises, has enough supporting infrastructure. And certainty that the value of your home, your investment, is secured, because you can anticipate the development of your neighborhood. This project is important because it offers a clear vision for development and depoliticizes our processes, making them more credible, especially when it comes to permitting. Zoning is a tool, not an obstacle to our collective development.”
The tender documents are available on the Government’s website. All interested parties are invited to submit their proposals by Friday, October 30th, 2026, to vromi-policy@sintmaartengov.org and raitza.narain@sintmaartengov.org
