First the Westfrisiaweg, Zevenhuis and windmills. The message on a pamphlet distributed in Zwaagdijk-West is clear: ‘Enough has already been ruined in Zwaagdijk-West’. A survey conducted among the residents of the village shows that three-quarters are against the possible arrival of emergency seekers and status holders. “If the province wants something, you have no chance.”
The location for status holders and emergency seekers that the province has in mind is Balkweiterhoek 76 in Zwaagdijk-West, where a large greenhouse complex used to be. It was about to collapse and had to be demolished at the end of October. This caused unrest in the neighbourhood. Local residents got the idea that everything was already in place, without them knowing about it were informed. There is talk of 50 to 100 units, which would remain in place for 10 to 15 years.
Unrest in Zwaagdijk-West
The board of the Village Council had just started last year, when the plans of the province came out. “We fell with our nose in the butter. The village was kept in uncertainty for a long time, which led to unrest,” says Roos Bruin of the Village Council. To dispel this unrest and to keep the lines of communication with the municipality and province short, the Village Council set up a working group.
The working group ‘BWH 76/76A’ has sent a survey among the nearly 600 inhabitants of Zwaagdijk-West. This was completed by 78 households. This shows that three quarters are against the arrival.
Resident Sjors (who does not want to be mentioned by name) looks out over the piece of land designated by the province. “You are quickly pushed into a right corner if you say you are against the arrival. But it is not so much about the people. You have zero social facilities here. No shops, no public transport, no associations. Most of them have I understand that I need some guidance. What are they going to do here? And there is no enforcement, because there is one community police officer for 17 cores in the municipality of Medemblik.”
Alcoholism and drug dealers
He looks out the window. “The social rental homes in the area already cause a lot of nuisance. Alcoholism, for example. And there are regular drug dealers in the evening. That can’t be solved, let alone if another 200 to 400 people come to Zwaagdijk-West That can’t be done.”
He is not very positive about the province of North Holland. “It is said that everything goes in consultation, but that is simply not the case.” Those feelings are shared by neighbor Martha Baesjou, whose husband Chris is part of the working group. “You do everything you can, but I doubt it will work. If the province wants something, you have no chance.”
She continues: “I give everyone a roof over their heads. And if it’s 10 or 20 units, okay. But why does it have to be here? North Holland is big enough to find a good location, isn’t it? had to give up so much living pleasure for years. The village was cut through by the Westfrisiaweg and then the Zevenhuis business park came along. It seems as if we don’t count at all and don’t belong to anything. I have that feeling very much.”
Time for action, the working group believes. Next Wednesday there will be a meeting in the village hall De Wildebras.