Delay of construction projects due to tight occupation of the municipality of Coevorden

This emerged in the discussion of the framework letter, in which the municipality of Coevorden outlines its plans for the budget for 2023. PAC and PVDA are concerned about the type of housing, while BBC2014 and the VVD wonder whether the municipality has enough staff to implement the plans.

According to councilor Bert Albring of the VVD, a lot of concrete building plans are on hold because the environmental vision will only be established in 2023. In the environmental vision, countless interests have to be weighed up, from soil to air, and that is a lot of work. Work for which there is currently no staff at the municipality, says the VVD.

Party BBC2014 agrees. According to them, this can be measured by the number of building permits that have not yet been granted. The party asks the municipal executive to provide insight into the amount of building permits that are still in the queue.

“It is unsaleable for our residents that promising projects are delayed or cannot go ahead due to organizational constraints and tight staffing,” said BBC2014 councilor Erik Holties.

Last year one and a half million euros was budgeted to make the organization of the municipality better and bigger. “That is why bringing capacity up to standard must be our top priority, as far as we are concerned. After all, we have reserved money for this in the last budget,” explains councilor Albring.

Holties from BBC2014 wonders aloud ‘why the entire administrative process cannot be completely outsourced to a third party’, when no employees can be found. Holties mentions the riding school in Sleen as an example. By talking to residents, he knows that there is a redundant football field where the riding school can be built.

“Involve our own residents in the process and ask for ideas. The solution is often closer than you think,” says Holties. Alderman Steven Stegen responds that he is prepared to outsource the riding school project in Sleen to a third party ‘as a pilot project’.

BBC2014 states that the affordability of housing is under pressure in the municipality of Coevorden. The PVDA agrees and states, among other things, rising interest rates and rising construction costs as reasons for expensive homes.

Party chairman Jerry Stoker of PAC mentions the ‘Mekkes’ houses that are being built in Aalden as an example. “The homes to be built in Aalden are becoming too large and expensive for many people from the municipality,” says Stoker. “While there must be built for the people who live here.”

PAC therefore proposes that agreements be made in new projects about a fair distribution of ‘expensive’ and ‘affordable’ houses. So that homes fit within the price range as described in the housing vision. Alderman Steven Stegen indicates that he finds it superfluous to make such agreements, because it is already described in the Housing Vision.

According to the PVDA, it must be ensured that there is sufficient space for starters, caravan dwellers, compulsory self-occupancy, social rental housing and flexible forms of living. Michel Blanken, party chairman of the PVDA, proposes that a working group be set up with members from all parties to keep an eye on affordable housing.

“As far as we are concerned, 250 of the 750 homes are for starters and young people,” says Blanken. The CDA wonders whether the council has thought about starter loans. “This option is now being used in a number of municipalities in Drenthe,” explains party chairman Sandra Katerberg.

Alderman Stegen indicates that although they have looked at starter loans, opinions differ. Self-occupancy obligation when buying a home is said to be a better counterpart to calm the housing market.

In one and a half week, the discussion of the framework letter will continue and decisions will be made about the capacity of the municipality and the proposals to make some of the new homes affordable.