Residents of Dieverbrug do not like the new construction plans and are looking at the decision with regret. They fear that the small-scale character of the village will change and be affected. A petition in the village was signed by the vast majority of residents.
The village of Dieverbrug now has about 50 houses. It is unclear exactly how many new homes will be added, but the municipality speaks of ‘large-scale construction’ and, according to the alderman, that is from a hundred homes at a municipality like Westerveld. According to residents, the project is not profitable if the residential area has less than 500 homes.
Adding a few houses is not an option, according to alderman Klaas Smidt. “The location was not an easy decision for us. Small numbers, small-scale approach, you will not make it here. Then you will not achieve the ambition. Then it quickly becomes time-consuming and very expensive. We also have social rental targets from the Empire.”
Political parties PvdA, VVD, Municipal Interests and Progressive Westerveld agree that the pre-emptive right will be used, but want more options to be explored. That proposal was widely supported.
“I have a lot of doubts about the location in Dieverbrug,” explains Jan Puper of the PvdA. “Suppose something goes wrong, you don’t want to end up on the sidelines with a drop in the nose. We want more search areas and not bet on a horse.”
Michiel van de Kasteelen of Progressive Westerveld shared this opinion. “By only researching this location, you give the impression that this is the only location we can choose from, but that is not the case. Either we don’t do it, or we do it, but much broader in which different options are still available. lying open.”