Villagers are resigned to the arrival of a commercial property near Oranjedorp. Once with the arrival of the distribution center, they are still not there and concerns remain. Residents are thinking about ways to keep the building out of sight as much as possible.
At the end of last year, the news hit the residents of Oosterwijk Westzijde in Oranjedorp like a bomb: less than eighty meters from the built-up area, a commercial building of 60,000 square meters, 400 meters long and 14 meters high, is being built. The outrage was great, but the realization has now dawned that the arrival is difficult to prevent.
“One thing has become clear to us,” sighs Corina Vink, spokesperson for concerned residents. “That thing will come, we as residents can no longer change that. The municipality of Emmen indicates that it has no grounds for refusal.”
At an information evening at the beginning of December, the village was told that the land had already been bought by Solidiam and that talks about the necessary permit were underway.
Residents were furious because they felt that they were involved in the plans much too late. They felt they were presented with a fait accompli. The municipality once again set up consultations with both Solidiam and the residents. After a number of postponements, it took place last night.
A wagonload of concerns and requests has been poured out on both sides by the villagers. In the first place, it is important to local residents to keep the building out of sight as much as possible. “We don’t want to see that building at all, let alone see it,” says Vink.
It therefore rained down on suggestions from the village to the municipality and Solidiam: reinforcing the green strip that separates the village and industrial estate, planters on the facade, a five-metre-high embankment, and even adjusting the dark gray color of the building. “In the village lives someone who has worked for the Ministry of Defense and knows about camouflage. So we also passed that on.”
In addition, concerns remain about a large number of issues, such as traffic (120 traffic movements per day due to freight traffic) and noise and light nuisance. According to Vink, the municipality and company will still consider the proposals made.