The question is therefore whether Heemstede, after Uitgeest (on a piece of land on the border with Heemskerk) and Velsen (on a former sports field in Santpoort-Zuid), will receive permission from the province to receive refugees next to the Cruquius Bridge. According to the provincial spokesperson, there are still several North Holland municipalities that want to build an asylum center in a protected landscape.
Shelter walking event
Today, on World Refugee Day, the walking event ‘Heemstede warms up for refugees’ takes place. Proponents of the reception of asylum seekers are trying to encourage the new municipal council to provide emergency accommodation this year. According to the dispersal law, Heemstede must accommodate more than 170 asylum seekers.
Heemstede calls the fact that the province recently gave permission to Velsen ‘encouraging’. Discussions with the province about the location next to the Cruquius Bridge are now underway.
If it goes ahead, the asylum seeker center would be there for a maximum of five years. The desire is to build homes there afterwards.