Owners of care site ‘t Ruige Veld in Rolde are challenging the new destination, which now prohibits night shelters. An appeal has been lodged with the Council of State against the decision of the municipality of Aa en Hunze.
In the meantime, the property owners have offered the complex with care buildings, three quarters of which are empty, to the Central Government Real Estate Agency and COA, for emergency shelter for Ukrainians or asylum seekers. But to their great disappointment, the municipality does not want to cooperate.
According to owner Razia Gül, the site is no longer properly rented out, because the options for care are far too limited. “Healthcare companies drop out of our broker as soon as they hear about the new destination,” she says.
In the meantime, the buildings have been refurbished for hundreds of thousands of dollars. “Three major healthcare parties, one of which even wanted to buy it, withdrew as soon as they heard of the restrictions. That is of course very unfortunate. We have 6,000 square meters of buildings, of which 4,000 square meters are empty. A shame,” says Gül.
Until the beginning of this year, 24-hour care was available at ‘t Ruige Veld, and that for decades. All kinds of care companies were there, hidden in the forest area along the Asserstraat. But the municipal council wants to get rid of care residents who are there day and night. Only day care is allowed.
Complaints about nuisance were reason to intervene. The municipality wants more peace in the nature reserve and to focus more on recreation instead of care companies. Nightly stays of care clients no longer fit in with this, according to the municipal council.
Housing in that location is still a possibility in the future, but not too many houses and construction should be in line with nature. The city council approved the destination in January.
Lawyer of the landowners, Ingeborg Windt, thinks the motivation of the municipality for the change of use is ‘wrong’. “Spatially speaking, there is no good motivation for the new destination. As a municipality, you want more peace and quiet in the area, especially at night, and then houses would be possible? That doesn’t provide peace and quiet either? residential or care housing, people stay in the area at night.”
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