Rudolf Stapel has not yet received a concrete answer from the councilor as to whether the Stapel family can really stay. The municipality will now look into whether an industrial estate can be built on this site. In principle, the dairy farmer does not have to leave for this. There will also be a water challenge in the area in the future, to retain water. “That could turn out differently for us.” However, there are no concrete water plans yet.
Yesterday, residents of the area were informed by councilor Klaas de Vries, before it hit the news. “That was a nice gesture from him,” says Stapel. It is a first step for them to regain Meppel’s trust. Residents have been complaining for some time about the communication from the municipality about the plans for the area. They think it is more like sharing and they are also bothered by the whole process surrounding the preferential right that the municipality has imposed in the area.