The company Cargotel wants to build an overnight accommodation for 164 people, two restaurants (fast food and plate) and about 42 secure parking places for trucks at Klazienaveen. There should also be a lookout tower and sports facilities at the location. The company is going to buy a piece of land for this on the Pollux business park near the Drenthe village. The sales amount for the nearly 22-hectare plot amounts to almost one and a half million euros.
According to the initiators, the arrival of the company is good for 100 FTEs. It is also expected that 400 visitors will come daily.
This can be deduced from an information letter that has been sent to local residents. According to the initiators, the Cargotel also offers a solution for unsafe situations along the A37.
According to them, an average of 40 to 50 trucks are parked day and night in the vicinity of Zwinderen, including on the hard shoulder. By realizing this new facility close to the German border, a location is created with, among other things, ‘good cheap sleeping places’ for truck drivers. Rijkswaterstaat also hopes that the plan will contribute to a solution to the problems surrounding many parking spaces along national roads. These are financially unprofitable, are often dirty and poorly lit and do not have clean toilet facilities.
The plans for catering in any case fit within the current zoning plan. However, a change is required to place an advertising mast.
For the plan, everything is still far from being in cans and jugs. The sale makes the development possible, but a concept plan has yet to be drawn up. As soon as it is ready, it will be presented to the environment, the information letter states.
One of the entrepreneurs involved in the development of the plans is Henk Klaver. He confirms that there are plans, but he does not want to say much more about it. “We are busy with the preparations. We expect to be able to tell more around May or June.”
He also does not comment on whether one of the two restaurants may become a McDonald’s (a persistent rumor). “In any case, it will be a unique concept for European standards.”
The municipality of Emmen says that the location is suitable for the plans, but that they are awaiting further developments. According to a spokesman, several local residents have already responded to the plans by letter. “Most of the reactions are at least positive.”