The councilor received support from a majority of his colleagues. Ton Soppe (BBC2014): “If you remove these trees, it will take another forty years to get something beautiful in return. These trees provide an optimal ecosystem for the center of Coevorden.” Soppe did call for extra attention to be paid to the management of the trees in order to reduce the nuisance caused by allergies. “Candelabra is an option. That is a rigorous form of pruning that you have to repeat every four to six years.”
Jaqueline Streutker (CDA) even compared the nine specimens with the hundreds of plane trees along the Champs Elysees in Paris. “If you move these trees, what look will you get?” She did give a tip: move the terraces to the middle of the market, so that they are no longer directly under the trees.” Henk Bouwers (PPC) feared a huge deforestation on the square.
Officially, no decision has yet been made about any possible tree felling or relocation. The plane trees are part of the redevelopment plans for the market and port area in Coevorden, and those plans will be put on the table at the end of March. “That’s why I think this is all a bit of panic over nothing,” said Floris Vulto (VVD). Stoker disagreed. “The idea has indeed been suggested. Tonight we as a council have clearly left a message. The councilor will have to come from a good background if he still wants to include the removal of the plane trees in that redevelopment plan. I don’t know if he likes to argue. “
Regarding the latter, councilor Erik Holties (BBC2014) gave an advance: “The design of the new design of the market has indeed not yet been finalized, we still have to discuss that together. But if I hear this, then Our task will be to fit the trees into those new plans.” However, the councilor wants to pay ample attention to various options to reduce allergy problems among entrepreneurs and guests. “Because we have indeed received several complaints about it. You don’t have to convince me of the allure that the trees have.”