For more than a hundred years, the farmhouse on Terschelling is owned by a family from Annen, but just holidaymen on their favorite spot is no longer possible. The Council of State decided that the farm can no longer be used as a recreational home. “Disappointing”, sounds from the corner of the victims.
How many precious memories are not affiliated with the farm. It was their grandmother’s home and after her death the farm was used as a holiday home. The Annen family sees that future loved ones are now disturbed after the intervention of the judge.
“It is not unexpected, but disappointing,” responds lawyer Jan Willem Spanjer, also family member of the Annenaren. “We focus on what we have to do with the farm, because we don’t want to pay a penalty,” he says. “Recreational use is in any case stopped. Maybe we sell or rent the farm, we are not yet over.”
It was not an easy announcement for the family, but Spanjer does not have self -pity. “Let’s face it: this is not a disaster. That we already have a permanent home makes it a luxury problem for us.” He therefore does not make a drama out of it. “Certainly in view of all the misery in the world.”
Recreational use of the residential farm in Lies came in separate screws after 2013. The municipality made a new zoning plan in that year. Recreational use was now permitted if homes on Terschelling were already used for vacations before 1 June 1994. In this way, the municipality wants to prevent houses, intended for permanent residence, to be lost to rich tourists.
The house in Lies has been a recreational home since 1992, but was later rented for a few months to a Terschelling family that was temporarily looking for living space. That family left the house in February 1994, but only officially issued itself in October that year.
33 years later, these ‘unfortunate’ state of affairs are still unpleasant consequences. “We believe that there was an exceptional case because the Terschellers left in time,” said Spanjer. “The family has only forgotten to write out.” The temporary residents later confirmed this in writing.
However, the Council of State does not find it plausible and agrees with the municipality. The family is still the owner of the farm, but is therefore not allowed to spend any more holidays. Otherwise, a penalty of 4000 euros per month with a maximum of 24,000 euros awaits them.