High-rise buildings in the western part of The Netherlands are subject to settlement as a result of compression of deep-lying cohesive layers. The size of the compression and creep deformation depends on the load increment in the compressible layers which is determined by building dimensions, permanent load and foundation level. In addition, the properties of the compressible layers are important. A great uncertainty herein is the pre-consolidation stress or initial creep rate of these layers. On the basis of InSAR - satellite data of existing high-rise buildings, the current settlement rate can be measured and a good estimate is possible of, in particular, the pre-consolidation stress in the compressible layers resulting in the observed settlement rate.