‘Very remarkable’, ‘very bitter’ and ‘a very special move’ is how planning expert Patrick Witte describes the municipality’s intention to abolish the village of Moerdijk. “I might have understood it in 2013, but now I find the timing very remarkable.” According to Witte, the municipality should opt for the village, and the economic importance here weighs far too heavily.
Patrick Witte is an associate professor of spatial planning at Utrecht University. He has been involved in the Moerdijk port and industrial area since 2013.
‘Industry over residents’
When the news about Moerdijk’s future came out, Witte was quickly emailed by colleagues and students, he says. “They are surprised that the people of Moerdijk feel so overwhelmed, while this has been in the air for years.” Yet Witte understands that surprise very well.
He himself was also surprised by the municipality’s intention. This is due to a number of things: the liveability of the village of Moerdijk at the moment, the political timing with municipal elections around the corner and the council’s choice for industry over residents. According to him, the firmness with which another option is rejected also raises questions.
No ghost village
First the situation in Moerdijk. According to Witte, this has improved enormously in recent years. According to him, the image of a village where the quality of life is under pressure and people are longing for a new perspective is not correct. “The village is running, the quality of life is good. Due to the pressure on the housing market, future sustainability is also moving in the right direction.”
That would have been different: “If they had made this decision in 2013, shortly after the economic crisis and the fire at ChemiePack, I would have had more understanding. At that time, Moerdijk was in danger of becoming a dilapidated ghost village with many vacant buildings.” But according to Witte, this has not been the case for years. “Now that people like to live in Moerdijk again, the municipality had the opportunity to do things differently here. This is a very special move.”
‘Very big shoes’
According to him, the fact that the municipality wants this village to disappear says everything about the priorities of the council. “It is clear that the economy is placed above the interests of the residents here.” Witte finds the arguments used to reject the alternative location ‘not very convincing’. “It is all based on economic interests. But more than that counts for a municipality. A municipality should stand up for the village. Then you also offer clarity.”
That does not alter the fact that it can ultimately be decided that Moerdijk must leave. “But the municipality does not have to anticipate this, they are taking on very big shoes. I think it is much more logical for a municipal council to opt for the village. Then a province or the national government can still decide, from a national interest, that the energy challenge is more important. Especially now that there is no new cabinet yet, you can wonder what will happen in that area.”
Elections
And then there will be municipal elections next year, after which Moerdijk will have a new municipal council and council. Witte: “This is just ruling over your own grave. You are deciding something very big, and the question remains how others will proceed with this.”
The council indicates that it is certain that the energy challenge will remain. Witte questions this. “It is a very big gamble. Is the energy transition really taking off? I think it is a big assumption.” According to him, there are more alternatives for the national task. “Why is the municipality so ahead of itself?”
‘Still have to see it’
He likes to put into perspective the certainty with which Moerdijk indicates that this plan must go ahead. “First the municipal council has to agree to it, which is sometimes ignored. And if landowners start objection procedures, it will take years to complete. Then you are talking about zoning plan changes and expropriation procedures.”
“The councilor’s announcement that people can live in Moerdijk for another ten years is special. It creates a lot of uncertainty, because what will that look like?” All in all, Moerdijk’s future is not a foregone conclusion, according to Witte. “I just have to see if this will happen.”