Noodopvang Goutum (Wergeasterdyk)
The large emergency reception on the Wergeasterdyk in Goutum (the WTC Expo site near Leeuwarden) operated as an overflow facility to relieve the national registration centre in Ter Apel. In the early hours of 12 July 2024 a stabbing took place inside the building; an ambulance treated a victim and police opened an investigation. The facility drew complaints that residents were kept far longer than the agreed maximum stay, with reports of poor food, lack of privacy and daylight and inadequate medical care, one resident calling it a 'prison with open doors'. Citing the COA's failure to honour these agreements, the municipality of Leeuwarden closed the site earlier than planned around the end of December 2024 / early January 2025.
Occupancy
1,617
people (Aug 2025)
Per night
€184
per person (benchmark)
Annual
€109m
estimated
Background
The site sits at Wergeasterdyk, Goutum. It is run by the COA (Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers), the Dutch government’s asylum-reception agency. For what the azc / noodopvang categories mean and how Dutch reception spending breaks down, open the cost panel on the interactive map with the Netherlands selected in Settings.
In the news
Jul 2024
Stabbing at refugee emergency shelter on Wergeasterdyk, Goutum
A stabbing took place inside the emergency reception for refugees on the Wergeasterdyk in Goutum in the early hours of 12 July 2024; the ambulance service treated a victim and police launched an investigation.
Hardnieuws · source
Dec 2024
WTC Leeuwarden emergency reception to close before the new year
Omrop Fryslan reported the WTC overflow reception would close earlier than planned around the turn of the year after the municipality found the COA had broken agreements, with some residents staying up to 80 days against an agreed maximum of 20 and complaining of conditions likened to a 'prison with open doors'.
Omrop Fryslan · source
Dec 2024
Asylum emergency reception in WTC Leeuwarden to shut
Reformatorisch Dagblad reported that the asylum emergency reception in the WTC in Leeuwarden would close, with remaining residents to be relocated, as Ter Apel was again able to handle reception itself.
Reformatorisch Dagblad · source
Compiled from public Dutch news reports (each item links to its source). Where a municipality runs more than one reception location, attribution to this specific address reflects the cited report and may be approximate — always check the linked source.
Timeline
Jul 2024
Stabbing inside the reception facility
A stabbing occurred in the early hours of 12 July 2024 at the Wergeasterdyk noodopvang in Goutum; ambulance staff treated a victim and police started an investigation.
Dec 2024
Site closed early over breached agreements
Leeuwarden closed the WTC/Wergeasterdyk overflow reception ahead of schedule after the COA kept residents far longer than the agreed maximum stay; complaints included poor food, lack of privacy and inadequate medical care.
Cost
Dutch asylum reception is funded by central government through the COA. At an illustrative benchmark of about €184 per person per night for emergency reception (noodopvang), the 1617 people recorded here on 13 August 2025 imply roughly €109m per year. This is an order-of-magnitude figure for context only, not a site-specific invoice — emergency reception typically runs around three times the cost of a regular centre.
Sources
COA / Rijksoverheid (Kamerstuk, 5 Sep 2025) · 2025-08-13. View source
Occupancy is the COA register snapshot of 13 August 2025 and may have changed since. Coordinates were geocoded from the published street address via the official PDOK Locatieserver.