Paul Klöters (82) and Jack Dienst (75) talk passionately about Groote Keeten and the beach, which they literally have in their backyard. They are two of the village’s 250 residents. Both also have a second home – in Amsterdam and Den Helder respectively – but they can be found here most of the year.
From their house you can be on the beach within a few minutes. It is bleak and deserted there now. There are only a few people walking around, walking their dogs between showers. But in the summer it is teeming with people, Klöters assures. “Then thousands of tourists come here.”
Klöters and Dienst were shocked when Defense announced last year that they wanted to practice at Groote Keeten. It is not completely new: the Botgat nature reserve was a military training ground for many years. Military personnel used that area for target practice.
After objections, Defense scaled down plans
But what is now in the pipelineis of a different order, the two say. “They first talked about landing with landing vehicles, helicopters, drones and tracked vehicles,” says Jack Dienst. “When objections were raised, the plans were scaled down.”
Currently, only exercises involving landings and small vehicles are being discussed. The Marines would stay on the beach and not go into the dunes, as mentioned earlier. But the two are not entirely sure: “How certain is the promise that they will not do more?”
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