Residents of Schoonoord will receive more clarity in October about the new construction plans of housing association Woonservice. That said Alderman Steven Stegen (BCC2014) tonight during the committee meeting of the municipality of Coevorden.
The inhabitants have been living in uncertainty for months. In February, several tenants of the village received a letter with the announcement that their house is being demolished. According to the plans, the houses are replaced by new rental homes and owner -occupied homes. Woonservice itself spoke of a restructuring of the neighborhood. In July, residents, during an information meeting, would get sketches of the plans, but that meeting was canceled shortly before time.
It is currently clear that WoonService plans to demolish 69 rental properties. For this, 44 new rental homes are returned, supplemented with 45 new owner -occupied homes. Residents have received a so -called ‘return guarantee’: those who want to continue to live in Schoonoord can return to the village. Yet there is a lot of uncertainty, because WoonService cannot guarantee that this will be of equal size in the same place or in a home. Some families therefore wonder if there will be enough suitable homes.
During the committee meeting, Monique Kuipers, resident on Ellertsstraat in Schoonoord, the council and the college again spoke. “Schoonoord is not just a place,” says Kuipers. “Here are our roots. Here we have raised our families, built our houses and formed our community. Everything we have built up is now at stake.”
She called on the college to give more clarity about the plans for the plans for the village. “Recognize Schoonoord as a village, not as a blank city plan that is decided on us, but as a community that deserves a future.”
Broad support sounded from the council for the concerns of residents. For example, Sandra Katerberg (CDA) party leader indicated that there is no clear planning for Schoonoord. “We have to remove the current plans and make a new plan together. Something really needs to be done.”
Fraction chairman Henk Mulder (BCC2014) also appealed to the college: “There must finally be a moment when there is clarity about what is going to happen now.”
Alderman Stegen answered the call from Kuipers and the questions of the council. He indicated that there are conversations with WoonService. Moreover, he said that conversations will be held with those involved in Schoonoord.
“We want to organize a meeting in the village as quickly as possible to create clarity about the plans.” Finally, Stegen emphasized that the current plans were not cast in concrete. “I think there is only a thinking, but we have to discuss in the village whether there is support for that.”
The alderman could not give an exact date, but residents are expected to receive more information in October.