Every motorist who has recently driven on the A50 from Veghel to Eindhoven has seen a banner with slogans. Every day at Eerde, Willem Smits floats a different slogan above the highway with a huge cherry picker. He wants to prevent a huge advertising mast from being built on that spot.
There should be a thirty meter high digital advertising column there at Eerde. Smits is not the only opponent, and many other residents of Eerde do not like the column. They are afraid that the advertising column will never make it dark in the village again. “We looked at what that looks like in other places. And everyone is surprised that such a pole can be placed in a hamlet.”
According to Willem Smits, the quality of life of the people of Eerde is getting less and less every year. “The highway has always been a border between industry and the countryside here. There was already more and more lighting on the buildings and now there are ten shovels on top. With two screens of 100 square meters each.”
“We have been working for weeks, but there is no substantive response yet.”
The mast will be erected by the Poort van Veghel company. That company understands the concerns of the residents, but says that it is commercially interesting. According to the company, it is now the turn of the municipality of Meierijstad.
The residents therefore hope that the municipality will put a stop to the plans, but so far they have not felt heard. “We have been emailing for weeks and have also been in contact with the alderman. But we have not yet received a substantive response.” That is why a petition is now circulating against the plans. Of the 1300 inhabitants, 900 have put their signature.
The municipality says it takes the concerns of local residents seriously. “The application for an environmental permit is still being processed and an objection can still be lodged after the decision has been taken,” said a spokesperson.
