Ton Hillen, director of the Rosmalen construction company Heijmans, is angry with the province of North Brabant. For the time being, it does not grant permits to projects that lead to extra nitrogen emissions in Natura 2000 areas. Hillen finds that ‘extremely disturbing’.
“It cannot be the case that we shut down everything economically. The coin is now very much aimed at nature. We will have to break this impasse with the government and the market, otherwise there will not be enough homes,” said Hillen, according to The Telegraph at the presentation of the quarterly figures.
Due to the housing shortage, the national government wants 900,000 homes to be built up to and including 2030.
Heijmans has noticed that the sale and construction of new homes will remain under pressure this year due to the cooling of the housing market. Up to and including April, the company from Rosmalen was able to sell only 472 homes, compared to 631 in the same period last year.
Construction stop
Fewer homes are being sold and built due to higher material costs and higher interest rates. But the building freeze in Brabant is also not helping, says Heijmans, which has enough work to do, for example, to make homes more sustainable.
“I try to do everything that is within my sphere of influence. We now invest a lot in an emission-free construction site. But that is of little use to me if there are no assignments afterwards.” said Hillen.
Hillen wants permits to be granted again soon. “Of course you can’t steer a company that way. And that is actually the transfer of a political dossier to the business community and the population. We have to make choices together, designate locations and take steps. Where economic growth and where nature and agriculture,” says he to radio station BNR.
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