A place for recreation
Spending leisure time in the vicinity of port and industry. That is already possible on the current Maasvlakte and it will soon be possible on Maasvlakte 2 as well. The main thing is that the land reclamation is first and foremost a port and industrial area. But, wherever possible, there will certainly be a place for recreation. It is not without reason that one of the ambitions is for Rotterdam to be an attractive port.

A new beach
Maasvlakte 2 will be directly linked to the current Maasvlakte. As a result, part of the Slufter Beach will disappear. Although never officially intended for recreational purposes, this location is extremely popular. Every reason to ‘compensate’ for the lost beach when constructing Maasvlakte 2. To protect it from the North Sea, Maasvlakte 2 will have a long stretch of soft sea defence. This automatically means a new stretch of beach. The soft sea defence will be roughly twice as long as on the current Maasvlakte. A metalled road and sufficient parking spaces will ensure good access by car or cycle. 

The coastal strip along Maasvlakte 2 will not be a beach with a promenade, catering facilities and the like. That would not be in keeping with the function of the land reclamation as port and industrial area. It will, however, be a place where people can enjoy the sea, sand, wind and peace & quiet. Furthermore, the big waves off the Slufter Beach are a great attraction for kite surfers.   

In the ‘backyard’ of port and industry
Recreational pursuits on the beach of Maasvlakte 2 will take place in the ‘backyard’ of the port and industry. That has its limitations. Safety zones, prescribed by law, exist around port and industrial sites. Consequently, parts of the beach will be less suitable for intensive recreation. In the current plans, recreation and parking have mainly been assigned to the remaining area of the Slufter Beach and an adjoining stretch on Maasvlakte 2 (see map). Added together, this is roughly 1.5 times as long as the existing Slufter Beach and suitable for intensive recreation. The more northerly, west-facing sea defence will only have a few parking spaces. Here, the beach will be much closer to the planned port and industrial sites. This area is less appropriate for intensive recreation due to the necessary safety zones.

Viewing points

A viewing point has been planned on both the north and south side of Maasvlakte 2. At these points, it will be easy to drive your car onto the sea defence. The viewing points will offer spectacular views of the North Sea, shipping and the surrounding land. 
 
State of affairs 
The plans for recreation on Maasvlakte 2 are still provisional. The subject forms part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (MER) for the allocation of Maasvlakte 2, which is currently underway. Further elaboration will take place after completion of the MER.