Anyone who lives illegally at a holiday park in the municipality of Westerveld must look for an alternative as soon as possible. Otherwise a penalty payment of 2500 euros per month hangs over their heads. “I want to leave, but I can’t afford another house,” says Jacqueline Németh.
After a divorce, she will rent a small bungalow at a recreation park in Havelte in early 2020. The plan was to stay there only for a short time, but because she has still not found another home, she is still there. “The boxes are still packed here,” she says. “I’m also looking for a home to buy or rent, but there’s nothing I can afford.”
penalty payment
Németh is therefore a permanent resident at a recreation park. For years, the Westerveld municipality condoned such situations, but for a number of years now, the municipality has actively maintained it under the heading of ‘vital holiday parks’. The province and other Drenthe municipalities are also involved in this project.
Parks that are considerably outdated are being renovated and parks that have to deal with a large proportion of residents who live there permanently can apply for a residential destination. A trial is underway for this in Wapse. With this project, the municipality of Westerveld hopes to strengthen the recreational function of the parks.
This means that 531 people have to look for a new home, including Németh, because her recreation park has no residential destination for the time being. She received a letter in January in which the municipality emphasized that living in a holiday park is not allowed. If she does not leave, she will eventually face a penalty of 2500 euros per month.
Motion for customization
That is unreasonable, thinks councilor Jan Puper of the PvdA. He advocates customization in distressing cases. “Now that the municipality is enforcing, a number of distressing situations are coming to the surface,” he says. “You can’t just put them on the street. Some people have been living in a holiday park for decades. It is right that they have to leave, but there is virtually no alternative. You cannot put people on the street.”
He therefore submitted a motion tonight in which he argues for customization, whereby an exception will be made in some cases. The motion was supported by council.
No one on the street
But according to alderman Jelle de Haas, the municipality already sufficiently takes into account the social consequences of the policy. “Residents who registered at a recreation park after 2020 were immediately told that they were acting illegally,” says the alderman.
“In addition, last year they were given eight months at the latest to look for an alternative. We help with that,” says De Haas. “We do expect that the resident will make an active effort and, for example, register with a housing association. If that really doesn’t work, we’ll see if customization is needed,” he explains. “We’re not putting anyone out on the street.”