Farmers from the Broekstreek, an area between Assen, Ekehaar and Hooghalen, must waive their objections to a planned nature project in the area. They are also not allowed to start new proceedings against the plans. Only then does the province of Drenthe want to talk to them about possible compensation.
Together with area developer Prolander and Staatsbosbeheer, the province wants to create new nature around Geelbroek. Parts of nature between Assen, Hooghalen and Ekehaar have dried up more and more, which is why there is now a rewetting plan. But a group of ten farmers have feared for ten years that the plans will damage farmland and do not want the project to go ahead in its planned form.
Unnegotiable condition
According to the farmers, there is a chance that their companies will suffer damage due to the rewetting of nature. But according to a spokesperson for the province, that chance is ‘virtually nil for these farmers’, according to research. “If damage does occur, we will of course compensate it.”
The group of farmers, on the other hand, refers to a report written by a hydrologist from the province. This shows that the groundwater in certain places rises to such an extent that farmers expect damage. However, the groundwater models from that report are criticized by the province itself.
Negotiating position
So there is still disagreement between the farmers and the province, although there was a ray of hope at the beginning of this year. “We last spoke at the beginning of February and afterwards we had the feeling that there was an opening,” says Evert Smeenge on behalf of the Bezorgde Boeren Geelbroek. “We would also like to continue talking, but that is simply not possible under the new condition.”
The province wants to sit down one more time, an official writes to the farmers, on the condition that they ‘renounce further objections and proceedings’. Unnegotiable for the farmers, because they weaken their negotiating position in one fell swoop.
Wet farmland
There are currently two objection procedures underway by a group of ten farmers from villages such as Eleveld, Laaghalen and Amen. They are afraid that not only nature, but also their agricultural land will become wetter if the groundwater level rises. Certain crops may then grow less well and farmers have to take more account of the water when sowing and harvesting.
The farmers would like the province to compensate for the damage that will occur in advance, or where possible prevent it. According to them, new drainage systems can reduce flooding in certain places. The farmers would like to exchange plots where this is not possible with each other or with the province for other land.
at the judge
According to the spokesperson, the province is also interested in such solutions, but first the objections of the farmers must be dismissed. “Everyone is free to start a procedure. But as soon as there is a procedure, we cannot talk to each other because it is at that time with the judge.”
However, there are no legal obstacles to continuing to talk to each other if an objection procedure is underway. Parties may also come closer to each other during ongoing legal proceedings. According to a spokesperson for the Council of State, the highest administrative court in the Netherlands, this is even preferable.