They have struck the first blow now that the permit for the controversial residential tower on the border of Naarden and Huizen has been swept off the table, but the battle is not over yet. That’s what they say to opponents of the colossal complex. They say to remain alert, because there is a good chance that a new permit will be requested.
The permit for the controversial residential tower was torn up last week, because the municipality of Gooise Meren would have made a formal error. A fierce battle has been going on about the arrival of the tower for much longer: local residents of the plot of land on the Driftweg and nature conservationists are against the arrival, because they believe the tower does not fit into the area, disrupts nature and ruins the view. .
“We are very happy with the decision. I think we were also the only ones who pointed out the formal error”, Victor Nijenhuis of the Naarder Eng Foundation responds to the announcement of the municipality of Gooise Meren on Friday. “It means we have a quiet summer this summer,” he adds.
The same sound can be heard from the Friends of the Gooi. The new chairman Jan Kwekkeboom reports that ‘his’ nature organization is also satisfied with the decision to reject the permits after all. “Of course it’s nice if you submit a notice of objection and this is the result. We were far from the only ones who objected.”
To rain
Kwekkeboom is right about that. It rained objections from local residents, nature organizations and various governments, including the province of Noord-Holland and the neighboring municipality of Huizen. Almost eighty in all. 45 views were received by the arrival of the 36-metre-high apartment complex in the Natura 2000 area, on the border with Huizen. Plus another 33 objections to the construction of the access road.
On Friday, Gooise Meren announced that the municipality has decided to withdraw the two permits. That had nothing to do with the many substantive objections that were submitted, but everything to do with a formal error.
The forest
After the official permit application, so many drawings and changes were submitted that the municipality no longer saw the proverbial forest for the trees. The Appeals Committee noted the formal error and passed this on to the Board in its advice. The mayor and aldermen have followed that advice.
As an athlete who has achieved a victory, it is now a short reminiscence. But the visor must quickly return to the next round. Both Nijenhuis and Kwekkeboom suspect that the project developer will submit a new application. The plan was ultimately shot down on a procedural flaw. No substantive statements have been made. Gooise Meren has always maintained that the plan complied with the current zoning plan, which is why, to the horror of the neighborhood and many others, they issued the permit at the beginning of this year.
Much unclear
Because no statements have been made on the substance, vigilance is required. “We now have to be extremely careful about what will happen,” says Kwekkeboom. “The location of the residential tower is adjacent to the Natura 2000 area. An access road must be created. They must create parking space in the immediate vicinity and they want to create gardens. What will that look like? How are you going to salvage all that? unclear.”
Nijenhuis says that the Naarder Eng Foundation, in which many residents of the Driftweg and surroundings are represented, are looking forward to the next round. He is convinced that a new permit application will be submitted. The total advice of the objection committee must then be carefully considered, such as the special construction of the building and the separate roof. Two things that include a lot to do.
One and a half floors
Incidentally, the foundation is not against building this undeveloped part of Naarden. Buildings are permitted in this green area: a one and a half storey building with a roof. “That’s allowed,” says Nijenhuis. “But a building 36 meters high does not fit there. There is no social support for that.”
The expectation is that resistance will not be less with a new attempt by the project developer and/or the architect. Precisely because nothing has been said about the content of the design and development of the area. Kwekkeboom says that the Vrienden van het Gooi already has a ‘draft objection’ ready. They are ready to go to the Council of State.