The municipality emphasizes that it does want to think along, but is legally obliged to sell land publicly. Moreover, Wijdemeren hardly owns suitable soil. “If the circumstances of an intended location permit, the municipality can cooperate in a change in the environmental plan. The initiative for this is always with the initiators themselves,” the municipality says.
In the Netherlands, only 21 Knarrenhofjes have been built so far. There are more initiatives, but they often get stuck at municipalities that do not see any possibilities.
Conversation was out of disappointment
At the beginning of July, the initiators sat down with the municipality in the hope of taking a step forward. But instead, that conversation mainly yielded frustration. “We are just served,” says Van Dijck. “The alderman who is about living said off at the last minute and we didn’t get any step further with the other alderman.”
According to the municipality, tips and advice have been given to be able to continue, but the initiators do not recognize that. “Vision is needed for the elderly in Loosdrecht,” says Daams. “And that is missing now.”
Fight against Time
Yet the now 75-year-old Daams remains hopeful. “I don’t know if it will be on time for ourselves, but hopefully the municipality will look at the possibilities in the future.”
Moreover, a solution sometimes comes from an unexpected corner, he says. “Near Spijkenisse, a farmer has sold a piece of land to a Knarrenhof, because he thought it was such a good idea. Maybe that will happen here too.”