News item | 17-05-2022 | 1:00 pm
Reinforcing the homes in the Groningen earthquake area is not going fast enough and many residents are dissatisfied. Many residents wait too long for clarity and there is too little progress. In addition, differences arise in small communities that cannot be explained. This requires intervention. State Secretary Hans Vijlbrief has agreed with the municipality of Eemsdelta and the NCG to start in four villages with a village approach developed by them. Good examples from this crisis approach can be applied elsewhere as soon as possible. Thanks to this approach, Vijlbrief also expects to gain insight into what is needed to enable the acceleration of the total reinforcement operation.
State Secretary Hans Vijlbrief: “I find it inexplicable that residents have been waiting so long for clarity. There is too little progress. During my visits to the region, I spoke with the municipality of Eemsdelta and the NCG about their village approach and I became convinced that many problems can be solved in this way. The village approach is a crisis approach that should accelerate reinforcement in the entire region.”
The four villages in question are Garrelsweer, Zeerijp, Wirdum and Leermens and are located in the core of the earthquake area. Many houses here are not safe enough and have damage. In addition, residents have recently experienced new earthquakes here. The aim is to accelerate the completion of the reinforcement operation in these villages. As a result, residents get a safe house and perspective faster and residents have to experience that the government is standing next to them. The success of the village operation depends on the satisfaction of the inhabitants of those villages.
The village approach
The core of the village approach consists of strengthening the village as a whole where necessary for safety. This means that the builders involved, NCG and the municipality, together with the residents, make a plan for the entire village. This offers residents clarity about where they stand: what the planning is for their own home, and what will happen in the rest of their village. In addition, residents can rest assured that the reinforcement operation in their village will continue uninterrupted and that these parties will not leave until it is finished.
Every village has a village team with permanent people. They manage the planning, the guidance and involvement of residents, the management of contractors and the elaboration of customization. The municipality and NCG will arrange this. The village team works in a solution-oriented way and ensures that agreements made with residents are also realised. Residents have full control over the reinforcement of their own home. In the village approach it also applies that the residents together with the village team determine what the planning for their village will look like. Within the village planning there is of course room for the residents to make their own choices, for example to choose their own painter or builder. This should not delay the rest of the village.
Alderman Annalies Usmany-Dallinga of the municipality of Eemsdelta developed the Village Approach together with the NCG. “We really appreciate that the State Secretary has embraced this approach and is taking measures to support the village approach. We hope that this will offer the village and the residents more perspective.”
Guaranteed build capacity
State Secretary Vijlbrief has agreed with Bouwend Nederland for the village approach that she will help to supply sufficient construction capacity. Elected contractors commit themselves to the village. Owners can choose from a selection of contractors (the ‘Groninger Model’). In that case tendering is not necessary, which contributes to speed. Corporations have a lot of experience building houses. That is why they often make agreements with contractors about reinforcement. When it comes to similar homes, it is checked with corporations whether private owners can hitch a ride with corporation projects.
Connector with mandate
In consultation with the region, the State Secretary will soon appoint a connector who will play a key role in preventing unnecessary delays. The connector works together with the village team and is given space to quickly solve stuck and delaying cases. This may concern, for example, permit procedures, differences that are difficult to explain and how to actually focus on residents. This troubleshooter works directly under the responsibility of State Secretary Vijlbrief.