Rent a Home in Nijmegen-Noord and the Waalsprong

Nijmegen-Noord is located across the Waal river. Until 1998, this area was Lent, a village within the municipality of Elst. Now it is the Waalsprong: a new-build operation of 17,000 homes transforming polder landscape into a complete urban district. About 25,000 people already live there (2024). Upon completion, this number will rise to 30,000. Those considering renting a home in Nijmegen-Noord choose the city's newest homes, on the other side of the widest river in the Netherlands.

Oud-Lent: The Village That Remained

Lent was a village. A church, a main street, farms along the dike. At its annexation by Nijmegen in 1998, a few thousand people lived there. The village was not demolished. It still stands, encapsulated by the new developments of the Waalsprong. The village center features brick farmhouses, a café on the dike, and an atmosphere you won't find in any new-build neighborhood.

For renters, Oud-Lent is a niche. The supply is small, the homes are older, the plots spacious. Those who rent here live in a village that accidentally ended up in a city. The Waalbandijk runs along the river, offering views of the Nijmegen skyline on the opposite bank.

The Waalsprong: Area by Area

The Waalsprong is not a single neighborhood; it's a collection of neighborhoods. Grote Boel, Woenderskamp, Laauwik, Ressen, Oosterhout. Each sub-area has its own character, construction period, and amenities. The first pile was driven into the ground on January 19, 1998. Since then, the area has grown steadily.

Grote Boel is one of the first completed sub-areas. About 800 homes and 35 apartments built around its own shopping center. Grote Boel Park forms its green heart. It is the most advanced neighborhood, with mature trees and residents who have lived there for ten years.

Woenderskamp has approximately 600 homes. De Boomgaard Children's Center, a combination of primary school and childcare, opened in 2020. It's a young neighborhood. Tricycles on the sidewalk, sandboxes in the front yard.

De Citadel will be the center of Nijmegen-Noord. Shops, restaurants, a school, and homes in one urban hub. It is currently under development. The first sections are complete, the rest will follow.

De Oversteek: The Bridge That Changed Everything

De Oversteek is the city bridge connecting Nijmegen-Noord with the western side of the city. Opened in November 2013, 1,195 meters long, it was Europe's largest single-arch bridge at the time. The bridge is named after the river crossing by the 82nd Airborne Division in 1944.

Before De Oversteek, Nijmegen-Noord was dependent on the Waalbrug from 1936. Traffic jams, detours, a feeling of isolation. The new bridge solved that. A wide four-meter-wide bike path connects Noord to the city center. By bike, you can reach the Grote Markt in fifteen minutes.

Accessibility is the point where Nijmegen-Noord convinces most doubters. Two bridges, bus lines to the center and the station, and a cycling infrastructure that does justice to Nijmegen's reputation as a cycling city. The A15 and A73 motorways are accessible via the Ressen interchange.

New Builds with Garden and Energy Label A

The homes in the Waalsprong are built for modern times. Energy-efficient, well-insulated, with a garden and a parking spot. These are terraced houses, semi-detached homes, and apartments that cost less to heat in the winter months than a townhouse in Bottendaal.

The rental housing supply grows with each new sub-area completed. Apartments and single-family homes become available in both the free market and the mid-segment. Upper floors, studios, and rooms are scarce. This is a district of family homes, not student housing.

What Renters Should Know

Nijmegen-Noord is not a neighborhood with character in the classical sense. Renting a home in Nijmegen-Noord means choosing new construction. The streets are wide, the homes energy-efficient, and amenities are growing along with it. Dining and culture are limited. For that, you cross the bridge to the center.

The supply is larger than in Oost or the city center, and competition is lower. Renting a home in Nijmegen-Noord suits families looking for space and new construction, and couples who prefer a garden to an upper-floor apartment in Bottendaal. Set up alerts for the sub-areas that appeal to you. Respond quickly and have your documents ready. The popularity of the Waalsprong grows with every new block completed.