The news that State Secretary Gijs Tuinman is going to view the multifunctional use of agricultural land on the De Haar training grounds, is received with mixed feelings in the municipality of Midden-Drenthe. Where one resident draws hope from the commitment that it is being investigated, the other fears that it will not help.
“I think there are too high expectations in the community with regard to the Hybrid use pilot,” says Boer Geert Martens from Laaghalen. “Tuinman has now promised a test under pressure from the room.”
As one of the victims, Martens traveled to The Hague together with local and regional drivers yesterday. “If the initiative had come from the Ministry of Defense, I would have had hope. I have the feeling that they will listen to us, but then their own way. The loot has not arrived before the signature has been put.”
Defense wants to expand De Haar training ground near Assen with about three hundred hectares of land. Land that is now in the possession of farmers and individuals. Residents from the surroundings of De Haar hope with the hybrid and multifunctional use make land less hard to be hit in the expansion plans. If the Ministry of Defense can also practice on agricultural land, farmers do not have to give up all their land or to become expropriated.
“We have to be realistic, due to the threat in the world we cannot put the heels in the sand,” drove farmer Albert Piel. Defense wants to buy out his entire company. That is why he started a petition together with his neighbors to draw attention to hybrid use. “This alternative is a nice solution and hopefully the start of the end point. We are happy that the possibilities and advice of our petition were seriously looked at.”
The Dikboom family, which owns her land on the Smildeger side of the Haar Grondrein, shares that opinion. “This offers hope. Of course we can continue to say that we do not want it to be in our back garden, but then we will not get there. In this way, through such a test with hybrid use, we might be able to put it more to us. This might be the best we can get out of it,” says Marieke Dikboom.
Mayor Jan Zwiers of the municipality of Midden-Drenthe was also in the debate in The Hague yesterday. He is especially happy that there is finally attention for the situation in his municipality. In the debate it has been about Drenthe multiple. “All members of the Permanent Chamber Committee mentioned that there must be more attention for Midden-Drenthe and the hair specifically. That is important for the pressure that the State Secretary may feel.”
Zwiers and alderman Jan Schipper (CDA) wanted to take the opportunity of the debate to talk to MPs for the last time. “We think it is important to try to have influence there,” he explains. “We think we should be there for the residents and we should use our relationships.”
Where he did not feel heard before and denounced the poor communication, he wants to give the State Secretary faith again after the commitments. “You must also be willing to raise together again when it comes to communication, because that is in the interest of our residents.”
On 24 September, State Secretary Gardener (BBB) of Defense will be on a working visit in the Military Expansion area De Haar.