Stephano van de Wiel has been living illegally in his holiday home in Baarle-Nassau for more than 18 years. Now that Minister Mona Keijzer wants to legalize the inhabitation of holiday homes, there is hope for Van de Wiel again. The branch association for recreational companies is not pleased with the minister’s plans: “It is a drop on the glowing plate.”
Cheerful, the cap pulls off the cap of a beer bottle and sits down on the terrace in front of his chalet. The cottage on a holiday park in Baarle-Nassau has been home for years. “I first had a house in Breda, but after my divorce I had to sell that,” he says. “Then I went to look for a temporary solution at a recreation park. It is a nice location where I am very happy.”
In the end he also decided to officially register in the municipality, “If you stay somewhere for more than 90 days, you should report that, so I did.” But the municipality subsequently imposed a penalty of twenty thousand euros, because living in a holiday park is not allowed by law.
Legal struggle
“I objected to that,” he says. “Then it came to the court, which the municipality agreed.” According to Van de Wiel, he is certainly not the only one who is permanently camping in a holiday home in the municipality. “There are many more people who live like me, but they are registered with family members or friends, so that is the difference with my situation.”
He did not accept the judge’s opinion and made a case at the Council of State. As the icing on the cake, the draft instruction of Minister Mona Keijzer was added on Tuesday morning. “I was pleasantly surprised,” he laughs. “I had already written and asked several groups and asked for help, that has now been responded to.”
If it is up to the minister, living in a holiday home will be legal for the next ten years, in order to partly curb the housing shortage. According to her, 60,000 people are currently registered at the address of a recreation home in the Netherlands, but she suspects that there are more in practice.
Enforcement
In December Keijzer already asked municipalities to stop performing against people who live in a holiday home. That happened to Van de Wiel as a godsend. “Those checks were extremely annoying for me,” Van de Wiel complains. “They came to my ground, they took photos, because I am an illegal resident. But luckily we are now away from that.”
“Residents who can prove that they already lived in their holiday home on 16 May 2024 are eligible for that title,” says Van de Wiel. No problem for him by registering in the municipality.
Not everyone happy
But not everyone emerges a beer with the idea of permanent residence on holiday parks. Hiswa-Recon, the industry association for recreational companies, calls it an ‘unrealistic and populist’ plan by Minister Keijzer. “I come to recreational companies almost daily,” says regional manager Arthur van Disseldop. “The plan is fun for the stage, but most Brabant parks are not suitable for habitation.”
According to Van Disseldop, the number of parks in the province is not large in which residents themselves manage a piece of land. “It would be possible there in theory, but that is just a drop on a glowing plate,” he says. “Most parks are aimed at tourists and you can’t just live there, the campsites are not made for that.”
In addition, camping owners continue to wave the scepter. “Then it can be someone who wants to live in such a park, but the owner of the campsite remains boss in his own belly.”
Van Disseldorp acknowledges the problem of housing shortage, but emphasizes: “Recreation is not the solution. Where should the residents go in ten years?” he wonders. According to the regional manager, the minister holds home seeking solutions that are not possible. “From The Hague it is easy to call, but they only shift the problems for themselves.”
Nevertheless, the resident of the wheel is only too happy. “I am completely delighted, the champagne is even ready.” He points to a table behind him where a bottle of champagne indeed appears from an ice bucket. “I think that all holiday park residents will be happy. I hope that in ten years it will turn out that inhabiting a holiday park is fine.”
