Kontour Vastgoed is responsible for the development of villa park Rheelanden in Ansen. It had been quiet around the project for some time, but the company has taken over the land from the previous owner MK-ontwikkeling. This means that the construction of 125 luxury detached holiday homes will start again.
The intention is that the houses will be built on the west side of the Dwingelerweg, on the meadow opposite camping ‘d Olde Kamp. Kontour confirms that they signed a cooperation agreement with the municipality this week.
“It contains agreements between the developer and the municipality. For example, that a sewer must be installed, what the costs are and how they are divided,” says project leader Jurgen van der Werf. He cannot yet say exactly how everything will turn out. The company first wants to talk to the inhabitants of the village to present the ideas.
Dorpsbelangen Ansen has now been informed of the developments. On Wednesday evening during the annual meeting, the news was shared with about 59 inhabitants of the village. “For some of the people this came unexpectedly. It does cause division in the village,” says chairman Robert Hoogendorp.
Some residents fear that there will be traffic nuisance. With the arrival of the houses, the total number of houses in the village is almost doubled. This will put more pressure on traffic, both inside and outside the village, the group thinks. The roads are already narrow, they think, and more vehicles could therefore cause more problems.
A number of villagers have therefore collected signatures to express their concerns to the municipality. “In addition to traffic, you also have to think about noise pollution,” says Ad Serné, one of the initiators who lives along the Dwingelerweg. “In addition, there is the burden on the adjacent Dwingelderveld nature reserve. Farmers have to leave because of the nitrogen problem, but can this park be built?”
Not everyone in the village feels the same way as the activists. About ten years ago, objections were already lodged against the arrival of the holiday homes. The Council of State decided that the houses could still be built. However, the plan has been delayed several times. “In the meantime, several people have already resigned themselves to it and they find campaigning unnecessary again,” explains Hoogendorp.
The chairman would have liked the whole process to be more transparent. “It’s been quiet for a while and then you suddenly get this message. Then these developments come out of nowhere. The municipality could have done something with that.”
The project developer says he will soon enter into discussions with the immediate neighbors. “The deal has only just been completed for us and given the past I can imagine that the situation is sensitive,” says Van der Werf. “We want to approach that carefully.”
According to Van der Werf, there is a danger that ghost stories will soon be circulating. “Assumptions about the content of the holiday park that, for example, are not correct at all. You have to be ahead of that.” Soon there will be a wider gathering for everyone in the village. “Then we will explain what our plans are exactly and how we are going to implement them.”