No decision will be made at the end of this month about the future of the village of Moerdijk. State Secretary Jo-Annes de Bat of Climate and Green Growth announced this on Thursday during an information evening for residents of the village.
Until now, June 29 was the final date on which the national government, the province and the municipality announced a final decision on whether or not the village would disappear.
Last week, the government made a U-turn by suggesting that a scenario in which Moerdijk can continue to exist has become more prominent in the cabinet’s mind. The State Secretary is considering a smaller expansion of the port and industry cluster.
“If there is a chance that the village can be preserved, that is good news. Then you have to seriously investigate it. It would therefore be unwise to push through a decision now. With such a drastic decision you have to be one hundred percent sure of it,” said councilor Danny Dingemans.
‘Regrettable’
The national government, the province and the municipality therefore need more time to discuss the new scenario. “It will become clear on June 29 when we can say something about this. However regrettable I find that,” said councilor Danny Dingemans.
Marianne Quik of the residents’ collective calls the course of events ‘absurd.’ “We were told on November 11 that our village must disappear. The consequences are already visible. There are residents who are already having their deceased loved ones buried elsewhere. When will we as residents finally get the clarity that we as residents so desperately deserve.”
Clarity about timeline on June 29
State Secretary De Bat could not promise more on Thursday evening than that he will indicate on June 29 what time is needed to ‘take the rest of the steps.’ “I can’t give a date and that is what people are waiting for,” said de Bat.
DIngemans: “We are very aware of what this does to people, including in agricultural areas. It makes a lot of difference and that is precisely why we want to get rid of this ping-pong.”
Meanwhile in Moerdijk
How do you continue to live as normally as possible when you have been told that the village where you have lived for years, or perhaps even where you were born, must disappear. In the monthly series Meanwhile in Moerdijkcan be seen at Brabant+we follow some residents and show their daily lives over the past month.
Here you can read all the stories about the possible disappearance of the village of Moerdijk.