Landbouw, the Dutch industry-wide pension fund for agricultural workers, and Rabobank pension fund are investing 鈧60m in the regeneration of Amsterdam鈥檚 red light district, known for its sex and drugs trade.

The investment by the two schemes comes via Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Finance.

The funds have taken a 35% stake in the vehicle, covering an initial portfolio of 133 buildings.

As ,  Real Estate & Finance is taking part in a 鈧300m makeover of the 1012 postcode district through the PPP project 鈥 a co-operation with Amsterdam city council and housing corporation Stadgenoot.

Henk Jagersma, the firm鈥檚 chief executive, said: 鈥淒utch pension funds have a duty towards their members to maximise their risk-adjusted investment returns in a socially responsible way. 

鈥淏y applying impact-investing principles in Amsterdam鈥檚 city centre, we can achieve a solid uplift in property values for a low level of risk.鈥

Landbouw and Rabobank pension fund have also received preferential negotiating rights with Amsterdam Municipality for four residential development locations worth 鈧150m around the city鈥檚 main A10 ringroad.

The sites will be used for the construction of around 750 mid-priced rental apartments.

At the IPE Real Estate Conference & Awards , mayor Eberhard van der Laan said the city needed 鈥渉uge numbers鈥 of residential properties to be built over the coming decade.