They all want to continue living in Wapse, but there are actually no suitable homes. A group of young people therefore wants to build houses on the edge of the village, but the municipality of Westerveld does not yet want to cooperate. Since this week there is new hope for the young people.
A majority of the members of the Provincial Council (PS) want the province to take a more positive attitude when there are plans to expand villages. New construction must still mainly take place within existing village boundaries, but PS believes that it should also be possible outside.
That is good news for the group of young people from Wapse, who have been trying to build new houses on the edge of their village for almost two years. Most homes in Wapse are unaffordable for starters. New construction seems to be the only option for young people from the village.
“It started with a notice in the village magazine,” says Roy Boer (28). “We wanted to know who else would like to build a house in Wapse.” Between 20 and 25 people responded. Not only starters like Boer, but also elderly people who want to live in a lifelong lifestyle.
The Bouwgroep Wapse, as the young people call themselves, found a plot just outside the village where horses now run as a proposed new construction location. But the municipality of Westerveld does not think it is a good idea to build houses on that site.
According to the municipality, the land that the young people have in mind is located on an ash tree and falls under the protected villagescape. However, construction is allowed on a sports and events field in the heart of the village. But the young people don’t like that.
“The football club plays sports on it, the tug-of-war club uses it and every year we organize a village festival,” explains construction group member Ruben van Kampen (26). “It has an important function. If we start building houses on it, we will lose everything else.”
The construction group has not yet managed to convince the municipality to approve a site outside the village. “The municipality points to provincial policy and says that it is therefore not possible,” says Van Kampen.
But that policy now appears to be changing somewhat. The Provincial Council wants the province’s policy on village expansion to change from ‘no, unless’ to ‘yes, provided’. A more proactive attitude, with which the construction group from Wapse hopes that the municipality of Westerveld will become more flexible.
Van Kampen: “A proposal has been made by the municipality to buy an old farm and build houses on that site, but that is not yet that easy. It would be great if we could now achieve something together. .”