Now that the new coalition agreement of the municipality of Bloemendaal has drawn a line through flexible housing at Blekersveld in Overveen, many local residents are relieved. But they are not cheering and that has everything to do with the lack of confidence in local politics. “Too much has happened,” says Gert Valster of the Blekersveldgroen foundation. “We want to see this with hedged decisions first.”
Last weekend it became clear that Bloemendaal will have a new coalition with five parties, namely D66, GroenLinks, PvdA, CDA and Independent Bloemendaal. For the first time in history, the VVD is not part of the coalition. The new coalition parties have agreed on the hot topic of Blekersveld and do not want flexible housing there in the future. The coalition is looking for suitable locations elsewhere and wants to divide the flexible housing units fairly among the different village centers in the future.
Local residents of Blekersveld united in 2018 as the Blekersveldgroen foundation and would prefer a green park on the plot of land next to their neighbourhood. When they were told two years ago that the municipality of Bloemendaal had designated the land as a place for temporary housing for status holders, they felt completely robbed† They also felt that they had been sidelined by the municipality because they were not allowed to leave a comment, as has happened at other locations in Bloemendaal.
And this means that they have little confidence in the plans of the new coalition for permanent housing on Blekersveld, despite the fact that the new coalition wants to focus on a careful participation process. “The distrust in Bloemendaal politics is so great that we first want to see it in black and white and then believe it.”
Permanent housing on Blekersveld does not see the Blekersveldgroen foundation as ideal, but Gert Valster is willing to talk about this. “We want to see what the new coalition will do, whether they will come and talk to us. Because I think you always have to talk.”
Agree
The new coalition has also made a decision in the agreement about the other hot topic within the municipality, namely Oldenhove. Ninety status holders and sixty other urgent home seekers must be placed there as soon as possible. The building will be used for mixed reception for the next ten years.
Valster sees the entire new coalition agreement as a culture shock for the municipality of Bloemendaal. “If they can make it happen, then I’ll be a very happy person, but I’ve yet to see that.”