| Landbouwbelang | |
| Image Alt: | A street view on Landbouwbelang in 2010. |
| Architectural Style: | industrial |
| Address: | Biesenwal 3 |
| Location City: | Maastricht |
| Location Country: | Netherlands |
| Owner: | City of Maastricht |
| Current Tenants: | Cultural Freezone Landbouwbelang |
| Completion Date: | 1939 |
Landbouwbelang (LBB) is a squatted industrial building in Maastricht, Netherlands. It offers working space for artists and social entrepreneurs and functions as a venue for cultural events. It has been squatted since April 2002.
Landbouwbelang is located in the Boschstraatkwartier neighbourhood, on the bank of river Meuse (Dutch; Flemish: Maas) and next to the production site of a paper manufacturer Sappi.
The building was constructed in 1939 for processing and storing cereals by Vereniging Landbouwbelang Roermond.[1] The cereal processing activities ceased in the 1970s and the building was acquired by the neighbouring paper mill until it was purchased by the City of Maastricht.[2]
The space served as a venue for community events before being squatted on 6 April 2002.[3] Landbouwbelang reported 10 000 annual visitors in 2015.[4] Several artists, designers and social entrepreneurs have working spaces at Landbouwbelang.[5]
Despite the Dutch squatting ban, removing squatters requires an eviction court order and in order to have that granted, the owner of the building needs to present a development plan for the squatted building.[6] According to the communications of the City of Maastricht there were currently none as of 2016.[7]