Mayor Aart-Jan Moerkerke of Moerdijk will work hard to ensure that residents receive good compensation if their village disappears. “There is no point in talking to us if the government does not meet those conditions,” he says. “No preconditions, no decision.”
The municipality of Moerdijk will set these conditions during the meeting on December 1 with the government and the province. Moerkerke then wants to see in black and white that the residents are well taken care of. “Then we will look at how exactly we are going to do that,” he explains.
“It’s not just about stones or money, but there must be good compensation. We really have to be able to offer people a perspective for the future.” Agreements in the region for tenants or the realization of a new ‘Moerdijk’ district are being looked at. “All those kinds of options come along,” says the mayor.
“It shouldn’t be the case that you are thrown out on the street with a bag of money.” According to Moerkerke, the intention is to check for each resident whether they end up in a new home that is comparable to their current home. “We are going to ask for that guarantee from the government. That is a condition for us. You cannot talk to us if those conditions are not met. No preconditions, no decision,” he emphasizes.
“It shouldn’t become a ghost town.”
Until then, the mayor wants to keep the village alive. He wants to keep the school open and tackle traffic congestion, among other things. Young families could possibly come to live in houses that become vacant. “We have to look for things like that together. It should not become a ghost village, but a village where we can continue to live well.”
During a specially convened meeting on Tuesday evening, the municipality informed residents that their village with 1,130 inhabitants will disappear to make room for the expanding industry. Construction of new energy stations will start in 2028, which should be ready in 2033. This requires 450 hectares of space. Work is also underway on other projects in the area.
“It is the most far-reaching and difficult decision I have ever had to make.”
The mayor found it difficult to deliver that message and was also emotional himself. “Whichever direction you choose, at the bottom line it does something to people,” he says. “People who have lived there for generations, people who have just bought a house, who have everything they want here,” he sums up. “It is more than understandable that emotion is involved. That emotion also comes to us. It is the most far-reaching and difficult decision I have ever had to make.”
Moerkerke himself also lives in the village. “We also have the discussion at home: should we get a new kitchen or not? But that is not the case with people who have lived here for generations.”
