The Hague, June 18 (IANS): A city in the Netherlands is planning to build a separate neighbourhood to accommodate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, media reported Wednesday.
A project developer is trying to build the village in Tilburg, which could be a first in the Netherlands, Xinhua reported citing the Brabants Dagblad daily.
The developer was reported as saying that the idea was based on research which showed 22 percent of gay people in the Netherlands sometimes did not feel safe in their own neighbourhoods.
Tilburg mayor Peter Noordanus expressed his support for the plan.
"A tolerant city is pleased to have a gay community within its borders," he said.
However, such a plan is not a solution to the security problems, Dutch LGBT organisation COC Netherlands told the media.
"This is not the way we should go. LGBTs should feel safe in every city, every neighbourhood and every street, not only in a separate area with a fence around," Tanja Ineke, president of the COC, said.