The plans were ready, the young people were enthusiastic and the land was available. Everything seemed to fall into place for a housing project on the outskirts of Valthermond, but it has been quiet for months. No houses, no permit, only frustration. Harm Greven, the man behind the initiative, still does not quite understand: “Everyone wanted this, but the municipality is giving a negative advice for the time being”.
He thought it was so well thought out. Young people in Valthermond and the surrounding area, including his own children, could not find a suitable home. Not because they had no plans, but because there was just nothing affordable for sale.
Together with a group of young people, Greven worked on a plan to build sixteen small, detached, affordable homes. No flats with apartments, no project developers, but their own initiative, with its own land on the Noorderdiep in Valthermond.
The plan was already there at the beginning of January, but after that it remained silent from the municipality. Only at the end of June, months later, did an appointment with the municipality. That became a so -called ‘concept conversation’, but there was not much room for consultation.
“We were mainly told why it was not possible,” says Greven. “They referred to the housing policy, because enough homes would be planned in Valthermond. So they were not necessary, according to them.” According to the municipality, the plan does not fit well in the landscape either. They prefer to see that the houses looks like a kind of farmyard, in a farmyard style.
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