Regional cooperation often goes with tension between the parties involved as the stakes may be high. The municipality Hollands Kroon (in the North West of the Netherlands) is starting the prepations for a vision on regional development in the Wieringermeer, one of the oldest polder areas in the Netherlands. Originally important for its traditional agricultural production, the Wieringermeer now goes through a major transition into a region for energy production, high tech greenery and data centres (the first major data centre is currently under construction).

In order to provide a good basis for cooperation between the regional authorities involved, Hollands Kroon asked Chris to design and facilitate a ‘pressure cooker’ workshop. At the end of the day the participants thoroughly discussed issues at hand, decided on the ground rules for their cooperation and came up with a shared ambition for the region. Each and all important elements for a sound cooperation that will keep working, even if there are some bumps in the road.