K3Delta’s plan to expand the sand extraction location near Amerika (a hamlet between Een and Zevenhuizen) can count on support from the surrounding area. Dozens of local residents came today to an information meeting about the expansion of the sand extraction lake and most of them showed a positive attitude. Concerns that exist mainly relate to road safety.
K3Delta – which extracts sand for housing and road construction, among other things – wants to expand sand extraction by 30 hectares, of which 10 hectares will be set up as a new nature reserve. In addition, there should be opportunities for tiny houses, a mountain bike route and perhaps even a floating solar park.
But that is all still in the future, emphasizes Jildert Hijlkema of K3 Delta. “We’ve already had a lot of questions about tiny houses today, but it’s not at all certain whether we’re going to do that,” he says. “In any case, we have included the option in the plans, so that we can obtain a permit more quickly in the future.”
The Zandwinplas on the provincial border of Drenthe and Groningen can only be reached via Zevenhuizen (Gr.). The provincial N979 can be a lot safer, but according to K3Delta it will not become more dangerous if the sand extraction lake is expanded and more benefits are gained from it.
While there are no concerns about road safety on the Noordenveld side of the Zandwinplas, there are concerns about geese. According to a local resident, geese love the sand extraction lake and can speak of a small ‘plague’. “They eat our grass and leave excrement behind.”
There are fears that the number of geese will increase with the expansion of the pond. “And there’s really nothing you can do about that,” the local resident thinks.
According to Noordenveld alderman Robert Meijer (VVD), there are opportunities at the sand extraction lake. “Especially in terms of recreation. America is of course already a recreation area and I think you can strengthen that.”
Residents also think so. They like the arrival of tiny houses. “We are especially curious how this will be arranged later with supervision. Now there is no supervision of who is recreating and some people just enter the site,” says one of them.
Although swimming in the sand extraction lake is not allowed and can also be dangerous because of the cold water and unexpected currents, it does happen every now and then. “It has to be managed well,” says one resident. “You don’t want to know what kind of rubbish we already find around the pond.”
K3Delta has an agreement with the owner of the Ronostrand (the recreational lake a little further on) that the old sand extraction lake will not be used as a swimming lake. “We don’t want to become a competitor,” says Reerink.