Resistance among local residents of Castricum over the plan for 215 new homes in the Geesterduin shopping center

“Here, among other places, Hoorne and the municipality want to build 215 homes,” points out Ben Scheltens of the Geesterhage region neighborhood committee. Some of the homes are to be built where the BP gas station now stands. “Removing such a gas station is very expensive, so I am concerned about the prices of the homes that will replace it,” says Rob Hildenbrant, also a member of the Geesterhage region neighborhood committee. The rest of the homes are partly built over the edge of the shopping center.

Together with many other local residents, they do not agree with the way in which the houses should be located. “We don’t feel heard enough. We have been pleading for two years to sit down with the municipality and Hoorne, but that never happened. Until last Tuesday,” says Ben.

“I do think that the conversation was useful. There has been some movement,” says Ben. “We will look at whether a sounding board group can be set up and whether there are other options that do not have as much influence on local residents.”

The neighborhood committee is keeping a tight rein on the gas station. “If there is no agreement with BP yet, this will cause delays,” says Rob. “The plans will then have to wait a little longer, which gives us more time.”

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The plan that Hoorne and the municipality come up with is not popular. “They want to build a lot of apartments on the shopping center, which is now an excellent height for local residents. It will then be four to eight high,” says Ben.

The houses that are currently there are a maximum of three high, with the exception of the Zilverzand and Koraalzand apartments. “If you suddenly put an eight-high building opposite that instead of the low building that is now there, you are asking for problems and complaints,” says Rob.

It is not clear to Ben and Rob where the number 215 comes from. “I understand that more homes need to be built, but why so high and so many on this small piece?” Ben wonders. “If you make it so high in the entire neighborhood, it will not only create an ugly view, people with solar panels will also notice that.”

Parking spaces

The two local residents explain that they are not against the construction itself. “It is the large scale with which this plan must be arranged,” Ben explains. “If you build so many homes in this location, it will have major consequences for traffic and parking facilities in the area.” The situation surrounding parking must therefore change.

“They may now want to make a one-way road, which will allow the road to be narrowed for additional parking. This will make it much busier than it already is,” says Ben. The parking spaces at the shopping center are now almost completely full. “There are also parking spaces on the roof of the shopping center, and the plan now calls for an additional 80.”

According to the gentlemen, a parking deck on the roof is not ideal. “Some people find it a bit scary to have to go on the roof with their car, which is why we think this is not a good solution,” Rob explains.

“If no other solution is found, people will park in residential areas,” says Ben. “That is of course not the intention at all if you look at the traffic nuisance and what it entails.”

The neighborhood committee is doing a lot to oppose the plan. “We have a contact person from the Owners’ Association in each neighborhood. We direct them when objections can be raised for that part of the neighborhood,” says Ben. “The more people are involved, the more heavily the objection will be handled.”

During the conversation with the municipality and Hoorne, those present made it clear that communication needs to be much improved. “First listen to the people and then come up with a plan,” says Ben. According to him, support is very important for a plan to succeed. “Without support from residents, they really won’t succeed.”

What now?

“After Tuesday’s conversation, Hoorne and the municipality now have four weeks to think about how they will shape the agreements,” says Ben. They hope that the sounding board group idea they propose will be realized. “Much more work must also be done on dialogue between the organizations and the residents. Only then will there really be a solution to this situation.”