A printed mood last night during a meeting of residents of the neighborhood of Laaghalerveen about the expansion plans of Defense. “We came together to share joys and sorrows with each other and to prepare any follow -up steps. My estimate was that about a hundred people were present,” says Geert Martens. He is one of the low -hairdressers who is hit by the plans of Defense. Martens will have to give up agricultural land.
On Friday it was announced that around 300 hectares of agricultural land at Laaghalerveen will be added to the Haar van Defense training ground. These plans have been above the neighborhood for a long time, but now that it has really been a blow, the disappointment is great.
And according to Martens, that disappointment was felt during the meeting last night. Yet he also tasted hope: “We think there are handles in the plan, that we can still refine something. That hope is still present.” The farmer therefore speaks of a good meeting where everyone could air his or her heart.
The resident of Laaghalerveen still hopes to submit an objection. “The plan states that there is a spatial need for 200 hectares, while there is now a spatial claim of almost 300 hectares. Moreover, a buffer zone is designated around the Witterveld. But serving the nature objectives has of course nothing to do with the spatial claim.
What was further discussed during the meeting last night is the dissatisfaction about how the news was spread about the expansion plans. “Defense must first have the communication in order. All landowners would receive a registered letter, but it has not received anyone. Defense has visited three companies, but the rest has not even had a letter. I also have not. The card has been published and our land is drawn up on it, then I draw the conclusion.
Today, various residents of Laaghalerveen are coming to the table with the municipality of Midden-Drenthe. “He would like to hear from us what we picked up last night,” Martens explains. “And tomorrow there will be a meeting of Defense, there I expect more openness about the plans.”