Frank and Warja de Lange and Roedy Barels, the three owners of the ‘farm plot’ on the corner of Esakkerweg/Telglanden in the Asser district of Peelo, continue to stick to their initial concept for building senior housing at that location.
That means eight life-proof homes, divided between a main (5) and an outbuilding (3) with parking. The plot has now been cleaned up and made ready for construction, after the more than 100-year-old dilapidated farm with barn and side building was recently demolished.
Large green area
However, it is not (still) being built. Frank, Warja and Roedy have been arguing with the municipality for two years now about the use of the site. The previous council of B and W retained a substantial green strip around the houses, because in the eyes of B and W Peelo would already be a ‘petrified neighbourhood’. But that would also mean that there would only be room for six homes. And that is too little, according to the owners.
Last week it was announced that the plans could possibly be changed: two rows with four seniors’ homes, which will be placed back to back. Houses with one floor for bedrooms and equipped with a stair lift. For example, the building surface should be reduced and there is room for more greenery.
no ‘box’
The owners say they are not happy with that news. ‘This has come up internally, but we immediately rejected it. That setup resembles a ‘box’, straight forward. That doesn’t fit that place. We want the homes to be stylish and attractive, appropriate for that prominent location in Peelo. It must radiate courtesy. So we stick to our original housing plan.’
Now that the former alderman for living, Karin Dekker, has left after the council elections, the initiators hope for more cooperation from the new council. For example, the trio understood that the very wide green strip around the homes – which suddenly came out of the top hat in addition to the zoning plan – is no longer sacred. ‘In our plans, we think there will be more than enough space for greenery, especially if we can also use the green shredded strip of the municipality that is present there. This has already been discussed with Dekker, but we never heard anything about it again.’
‘Assen needs housing’
The owners wholeheartedly hope that they can still carry out their original intent. ‘Because we think we are working on something beautiful for Assen and Peelo in particular. Moreover, Assen needs these homes. Not only for seniors, but also for the transition. After all, their houses become available for starters or families who are looking for a more spacious home, for example.’
After all these years of planning, talking and disappointments, the trio now wants clarity from the municipality. ‘The shortest blow would be a good conversation with the new Alderman for Housing (Cor Staal of the ChristenUnie, ed.). Look, if Assen applies her maxim that a plot may be built on for 70 percent, then our original building plan should not be a problem and in our view a healthy ‘stone-green’ ratio is guaranteed.’
It would be nice, Warja, Frank and Roedy conclude, if it was possible to hit the nail on the head in the short term by means of a plan that would make all parties happy. If not, they are seriously considering selling the lot again.
Serious bid on the ground
‘We have already been approached by four parties, each of which has made a serious offer for the land. We haven’t gone into that yet. First of all, we like to see housing there, but a new owner may also have other plans for it. And we are not (yet) in a hurry, but the construction costs have risen enormously, for example, so the cost picture now looks different. However, what we crave most is, again, clarity from the municipality, especially with regard to the green belt. When the old vision of the municipality is let go and we are given more room for filling in the dimensions of the green belt, we can work it out together.’