Part of the ‘useless’ parking area on Schapenveenweg in Emmen may be filled with solar panels. The parking lot would be cleaned up this year due to too little use.
Due to the investigation into this new interpretation, the location will continue to exist for another two years.
The site on Schapenveenweg, good for a thousand parking spaces, was constructed by the municipality in 2016 at the request of the Wildlands zoo. During visitors in visitors, the park wanted to have sufficient parking space. Reason why the site was constructed as a overflow location.
The required land was leased for a period of ten years from the water supply company Drenthe (WMD) and the construction cost a total of 3 million euros. However, the site was hardly used. The income lagged behind the costs for the lease, management and maintenance. As a result of which Emmen shot four to five tons each year. Three years ago, the decision was made to deliver the site clean in 2025 and to transfer it to the WMD. Cleaning up costs the municipality 650,000 euros.
But at the request of the WMD, the lease is extended by another two years to 2027. According to spokesman Andries Ophof, the WMD will take off the next two years to investigate the possible placement of solar panels. “With solar panels we could provide our drinking water supply on the Noordbargeres with electricity. We also do something similar at our location in Annen.”
The panels could possibly be placed on the asphalt of the current site. That is why the municipality was asked for the time being to be put on the brakes with the demolition. “If it’s gone, it’s gone. That would be a shame.”
Incidentally, it is not the intention to fill the entire site with panels. “In that case it would really be a solar park. It is a smaller part, let’s start from about a fifth.” The rest could still be broken down.
This does not entail any extra costs for the municipality. According to Ophof, the lease that would end this year has been extended against a symbolic amount.
Two years ago, the VVD was still raising the inconvenience on the site. The parking lot would regularly be the backdrop for drug trafficking, waste dumping and racing cars. Alderman Jan Bos announced that he would look at permanent closure. But that is not going to happen anymore, his spokesperson said.
“The nuisance has since fallen. But that is also partly because the site is currently in use as a storage location for various road works. Think of the redesign of Dordsestraat, but also the Rondweg and soon the Emmen-Klazienaveen road.” For nuisance people it makes it less attractive to use the site, according to the Woman.
The municipality starts breaking up the location as soon as the WMD has made a decision.