Self -confident, dairy farmer Albert Piel from Laahalen crossed the threshold of the Rijkshub in Assen yesterday afternoon. In the building next to the NS station, he can explain to lawyers from the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning (VRO) why he objects to the pre-emptive right that Defense has established on his company and surrounding plots.
Piel claims that banks are reluctant to finance investments due to the pre -emptive rights imposed. And so it is more difficult to purchase a milking robot or new tractor. As proof, he explains an email from the ING bank, in which the banker says that in this situation she would rather not enter into financial obligations with the family.
“It is possible that they will soon say:” You might have to leave within two years. We will not give you that financing, because the risk is too great for us. “So our company is now locked,” he outlines.
That cannot be the intention, he explains the official hearing committee. “Now we are not free to do business and act.”
With the pre -emptive right, the Ministry receives the first right of purchase on the land and full company of the dairy farmer and his family. All this is needed for the expansion of military training grounds. That is now 400 hectares in size but must be 700 hectares.
For a number of companies, those plans have major consequences. “We use 240 hectares,” explains the dairy farmer. “As the plans are now, they roughly take 100 hectares. Madness. They are just taking a company that cannot be moved by that size. It is Krankjorum that can be done in the Netherlands.”
In the 1980s, Albert Piel took over the company from his father and expanded it into a dairy farm with more than 300 cows and 250 young cattle. In the meantime, son Willem has taken over and Albert is retired. “My son looks at opportunities, I’m going to fight.”
The future is uncertain by the expansion plans of Defense, Piel argues. “We cannot set up such the same company of this size within the Netherlands. My son is now looking at Denmark and Sweden. But I don’t want him to emigrate with my grandchildren, because I don’t go with them. I want to stay here,” he argues emotionally. “Moreover, how should they set up a company with the same size abroad in a short time? That is impossible.”
Chairman Angelique Herwijnen of the Ministry of Housing listens to Piel’s argument. She asks him if he has requested a provisional provision from the court, asking a deferment as long as the objection is running. “Because that too was an option,” says Herwijnen. Piel admits that he did not read that that option existed.
After a 45 -minute meeting, the dairy farmer walks out from Laaghalen. “When I went in here, I was more secure from my case than I am now. I still don’t know if they agree with me that the preferred right hinders investments.”
Despite the continuing uncertainty, Piel continues to fight. “I go under fighting or not. We have built up and extended the company year after year. Pieces of land have sometimes been awarded to me. This is how you build a company in Drenthe. And then Defense would destroy it in a pen area? Note: Defense is not awarded. They steal it.”
The Ministry of Housing will reach a decision within six weeks. If they ignore Piel’s objection, the dairy farmer from Laaghalen can still appeal to the court.