Noordplas

Kamperheideweg
Heerlen

Plan your itinerary

What a view on the edge of the abyss of the Noordplas. We are happy to tell you more about the final plan of the Sibelco quarry and the nature development that will take place in this area.

Heath reclamations

In the 17th century, the area surrounding the Heihof was cultivated. Textile merchant J. Heldewier from Maastricht bought forty hectares here in 1634 and another 203 hectares of heath land in 1670.

After the second purchase, a farm (Heihof or Heyendael) was built and around 1722/1725 the property was divided. A second company was founded one kilometer from the old farm (the Bovenste Heydael). The old farm was split again in 1816 into the 'Heihoven'.

The area was given a unique appearance with straight avenues and tree-lined avenues, in contrast to the open arable land areas that dominate the picture elsewhere in South Limburg. In the meantime, part of this heath reclamation in the silver sand quarry has disappeared. De Heihoven now stands together with its neighbors on a kind of peninsula in the Sibelco quarry.

End plan Sibelco quarry

Part of the license to extract silver sand in the Sibelco quarry is the final plan. This plan indicates how the quarry will be delivered after the excavation work has been completed. The final plan (from 2020) for this quarry consists of nature development with several walking, cycling and riding trails, viewpoints and a dog beach.

The area is thus added to the Brunssummerheide. The delivery of the Centrale Plas and Noordplas is scheduled for 2032. Natuurmonumenten, owner of the Brunssummerheide, will subsequently acquire ownership of these parts of the quarry.

The core of the area is formed by the three ponds, around which wet and dry natural values will develop. This concerns both wet and dry forest, thickets and rough zones as well as herb-rich grasslands and heathland. The Heihoven neighborhood will continue to exist. In some places, steep slopes or cliffs are preserved for, for example, the sand martin.

The connecting culvert located between quarry 3 (on the east side of the slag heap) and Centrale Plas will be converted into a bat bunker. The new recreational infrastructure will soon make it possible to explore the area as is already the case at the Zuidplas.

Is the end of silver sand extraction in sight?

At the site of the Sibelco quarry, the end of the excavation activities based on the current permit is indeed in sight. In other places, such as in the quarries of Xella and De Groot near Abdissenbosch, the excavation work will continue for a while and the activities will not end until around 2045.

This text has been automatically translated using an online translation service.

A fun trip for everyone

Visit Zuid-Limburg Shops

Noordplas

Itineraries in the area

Noordplas

Itineraries in the area

Welcome to Zuid-Limburg!