The Vastgoed BV of the Greenport Campus in Venlo urgently needs 6.7 million euros from the province.
This is necessary to guarantee liquidity and prevent bankruptcy. The money is intended, among other things, to repair the broken heating and the leaking roof of the Villa Flora building. The Limburg Parliament has to make a decision on this on 24 June.
Development
The money was initially part of the proposal to contribute tens of millions of euros up to 2030 to the further development of the four Limburg campuses. A substantial amount was also proposed for Venlo. But at the moment there was only a majority in a state committee in favor of continued support for the campuses in Sittard-Geleen, Maastricht and Heerlen.
Provincial politicians are also very concerned about the future of the Greenport Campus in general. That is why she meets with the campus and the parties involved to get a precise picture of the current situation and the course that the campus wants to follow.
Green light
At the suggestion of CDA member Mirjam Depondt to “cut out” the Greenport Campus – as she said – Deputy Stephan Satijn (VVD) came up with the proposal to start talking with parties. There was green light for the emergency aid of 6.7 million. “I have a lot of questions and concerns about Venlo. The substantiation of the future plans is also buttery soft,” says Depondt.
D66 member of parliament Hans van Wageningen stated that he needed a good vision. “We actually miss them,” said Van Wageningen. Bart Smeets called the Greenport Campus a major concern. He also did not understand the shift from the emphasis on healthy food to horticulture. “De facto it looks like a house of death”, explained Smeets.
New course
Also VVD member of parliament Dries Lodewijks did not (yet) believe in the new course of the campus. “It still does not provide comfort. For example, what is the reality value of a growth to 1300 students”, said Lodewijks.
It was generally recognized that the maintenance burden and other costs of the two buildings on the campus – in addition to the Villa Flora also the Innovatoren – are a block from the campus. They are two buildings of the former Floriade world horticultural exhibition. “The two buildings have split the campus in the stomach. That was not a fair start. We may have to normalize the situation by removing those buildings from the campus,” said CDA member of parliament Depondt.
Group chairman Thea Jetten of GroenLinks thought it was a shame that the buildings are already having such major maintenance problems after ten years. She wondered whether the repair costs could not be recovered from the contractor.