Local residents make some comments here and there about the squatters’ action. “It remains someone else’s building,” says a local resident who also understands the action. “It’s actually forbidden,” says someone else.
But for now there is satisfaction with the action. “I think it’s good. Everything that is empty should be used,” says a local resident. Local residents also place responsibility on the municipality, which they believe should issue a permit more quickly. “It’s ridiculous that the permit takes so long,” says one woman.
Crucial permit
The owner, who prefers to remain anonymous, is also not happy with the above-mentioned permit. The owner, who prefers not to respond on camera, says that all preparations have been made to start realizing nine homes, but that a crucial environmental permit for renovation is still missing.
“We have been waiting for an environmental permit from the municipality for over a year now, so that we can actually start the renovation. The municipality is driving us crazy. We have now also filed a complaint, because it is going so slowly,” says the owner.
Delay
The municipality looks at the matter slightly differently. “This procedure takes a long time due to several factors. The owner has adjusted the construction plans in the meantime and has not always supplied all the necessary documents and drawings correctly. A permit application therefore had to be applied for again and the additional requirements from the Environmental Act that subsequently came into effect caused additional delays. The plans also had to be adjusted to properly protect the monumental values of the building,” a spokesperson for the Centrum district said.
Workshops on the ground floor
In the meantime, the squatters have big plans for the building. They announce online that they have opened a social center on the ground floor where workshops are given. Despite the fact that nine homes are being built, they remain critical. “We agree that living spaces are desperately needed in Amsterdam, but the question remains whether the apartments in question will also be affordable,” they write on the Indymedia website.
The owner filed a report today and hopes that the police will start evicting as soon as possible. But it is still unclear when that will happen. An application for an environmental permit is now underway. The Public Prosecution Service is now looking into the case.