After years of wrangling, there is finally green light for the realization of the expansion of the Hoge Akkers industrial estate in Ruinerwold. Only the two-member GroenLinks group voted against on Thursday evening in the meeting of the city council, but that was mainly due to the fact that road safety must first be properly arranged, according to Henk van IJzendoorn.
For a long time, the expansion of Hoge Akkers was linked to the access on the south side, where the Blikkenstein traffic problem plays a role. The Board nevertheless wanted to see these two subjects separately, because otherwise there would be additional delays for the entrepreneurs. “And the six hectares are already fully booked, we even have a waiting list,” said alderman Gerrie Hempen. ‘Blijstein’ will be discussed next week during a dialogue evening.
‘It’s about time’
Entrepreneurs from Ruinerwold – a delegation from the board of Ruinerwold Ondernemen was present on Thursday evening – will have sighed ‘it’s about time’, according to Pieter Groot (Gemeentebelangen). Tamara de Boer (CDA) said that two years ago a number of entrepreneurs had already sold hearth and home because they thought they could build.
GroenLinks had no problem with entrepreneurs sitting in the waiting room a little longer. “We think it would be unwise to decide now because of the traffic situation,” said Van IJzendoorn, who also wondered what kind of companies are allowed there. Anneke Assink (PvdA) wanted to see high-quality companies, but was immediately asked by Ronald Brouwer (GB) what exactly she meant by that. “Companies that add value to employment, not box pushers or flash delivery people, but well-trained MBO students who add value to the economy,” Assink replied.
Eva Salomé drew attention to the characteristic environment on behalf of D66. “This area has cultural-historical value, let’s start with the construction of the robust green zone.” Alderman Hempen could promise that, as long as it is not in the middle of summer.