Villages such as Baarland pay a high price: backbone of the region is struggling with a shortage of affordable homes | Interior

With white houses hidden behind Leilinden next to a characteristic church, Baarland offers an idyllic appearance. The Netherlands full? Not here in the Zak van Zuid-Beveland. The tranquility of the Zeeland village, however, has a downside: the school has been closed for a long time, shops are not there and nor is starter houses. In the meantime, residents Piet Otte and Heidi Joosse are getting up their village house themselves. “Keeping the villages liveable should weigh heavily.”