Although the municipal executive has now announced the sale, the municipality emphasizes that no final decisions have yet been made by the municipal executive or council. However, in the village there is a prevailing feeling that everything has already been determined. “We are not against building,” says the spokesperson, “but why so much at once, and is it housing for starters and seniors that is most needed. We don’t know all that.”
In De Groeve they are also afraid that the character as a ribbon village will disappear with its large housing project right against the ribbon buildings. Residents also feel misled because they no longer took into account housing development in this location.
“About a year and a half ago, the piece of municipal land, where housing was once planned, was returned to agricultural use. Another part was deliberately intended as a green belt, as a shield from the Zuidoevers plan. So why are there now 39 houses there,” is the accusation.
Councilor Vellinga disputes that. “The planning situation had to be updated and recorded at the time, also with the approval of the council, because the old zoning plan was not digitally available. No housing development options were deleted. Part of the land has and retains housing rights, the underlying part is agricultural.”
If the plan becomes final, a zoning change will still be required. “It really won’t be a matter of signing the cross in the future. As a council, we still have to think of something about it, and then also the municipal council. It’s still a long way from that. So it’s not a pre-cooked plan and it’s not a run-of-the-mill race either.”
Director René Wennemers of WVG Development understands the emotions in the village, but says that they occur more often in these types of developments. “As soon as we want to build somewhere in the front or back garden, it evokes emotions.”
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