Two landowners from Aalden and Sleen do not intend to hand in land for a cycle path that the municipality of Coevorden wants to construct along the Gelpenberg. It is about the last few hundred meters for which the cooperation of the farmers is needed. The construction work has stopped at the intersection with the Wachthoornweg in Aalden.
Coevorden has threatened with expropriation and that was against the sore leg of the two men. They want to think along, said dairy farmer Martin Snoeijing today in the courtroom of the Council of State. But there are good alternatives to the cycle path. That is why they are not prepared ground in Aalden.
It concerns 1200 to 1400 square meters of agricultural land. “They just take a bite from my country,” said Wouter van der Spoel, the other dairy farmer. According to him, in that case he must ‘make all strange maneuvers’ with his agricultural machinery.
The two men state that the cycle path does not have to be on the south side of the Gelpenberg, where they have their meadows. According to the duo, it can be laid out on the north side of the road without any problems. Or north of Landal recreation park Aelderholt. They believe that there is not even a separate cycle path at all if the Gelpenberg is arranged differently and safer.
The municipality of Coevorden does not want to know anything about a cycle path north of the road. Then land is needed from front gardens of homes that stand there. On the south side it is cheaper in terms of land purchase. “And Landal does not want to sell land,” said a spokeswoman for the municipality.
The farmers had to laugh a bit about that. Because they don’t want to sell either. Coevorden wants a free cycle path. So no cyclists on the roadway as the farmers present. There are also agricultural traffic there.
The municipality is holding on to the plan for the cycle path between Aalden and Witteveen. It’s not just about the Gelpenberg. “We want to become a bicycle province,” said the spokeswoman.
Coevorden did apologize for the farmers. Snoeijing and Van der Spoel were angry that surveyors have been on their ground without their permission. “Infaten”, the municipality says. But that’s it. Rule of the Council of State will follow later.