As early as 2004, the province of South Holland designated the Zuidplaspolder as a development location for residential construction, due to the then high demand for affordable housing. The concept development vision referred to the construction of 4,000 to possibly 8,000 homes. ‘But because the housing shortage is so high, Zuidplas has agreed with its administrative partners to build 8,000 homes in the new Fifth Village,’ says the municipality. In any case, the government already has to realize this fourteen million euros made available to the municipality of Zuidplas.
Alderman Jan Hordijk (VVD) of the municipality of Zuidplas is proud of the plans that are currently underway. ‘Being able to make the master plan public is a milestone in a process that has been going on for almost two decades,’ he says. ‘At the same time, it is a starting point for elaborations, involving the environment, strengthening support and implementing policy, and is thus a very important step in the development of the Zuidplas.’
‘Administrative feat’
The municipal council reacts differently to the plans for ‘het Vijfde Dorp’. VVD Zuidplas says it is very happy. ‘It has been a tough process, but we are proud that our alderman Jan Hordijk was able to realize this. It is an administrative feat, ‘says Ferry van Wijnen. ‘We are also not surprised about the number of homes that will be built, because if you want to realize something with enough facilities, then you have to aim for a certain volume.’
‘We are glad that the polder is not being built up, because that is what it looked like in the plans of 2003/2004. It is good that it does not happen, ‘Van Wijnen continues. ‘What needs to be done now is that we have to look carefully at entrepreneurs and residents in the surrounding villages and the communication towards them. I already hear from several people that they know nothing about it. We must do this together and everyone must be able to contribute ideas about the plans. ‘
‘Plenty of greenery and good facilities’
Martin Damen of PvdA / Groenlinks is moderately positive about the plan that is currently underway. ‘It is an immense plan and that is in any case worthy of congratulations to Alderman Jan Hordijk, for making it happen. We are pleased that after all this time there are concrete plans to start building ‘, he says. ‘But it is known to everyone that PVDA / Groenlinks would have preferred that building would not take place on the indicated location, but that the existing villages would be expanded.’
‘We are, however, satisfied with the large number of social rental homes and affordable owner-occupied homes included in the plan. We are also not against the expansion to 8,000 homes, ‘says Damen. ‘However, we think it is extremely important that there is sufficient green space and that good facilities are provided in the new village. The facilities in the other villages of the Zuidplas municipality must also continue to exist. In addition, we hope that we can still have a say in the proposals and that we will not be able to decide on our own whether the doorposts in the new village will be red or green. ‘
‘This is a village too far’
Whoever is firmly against the plans of the Fifth Village is the SP Zuidplas. ‘It’s very simple, we have been against the plans from the start. In 2017 we also voted against the bid. We think there is enough space around and in the villages to build extra homes, ‘says Jan Baas of the SP.
‘We are particularly shocked that the plans suddenly concern 8,000 homes, that was not the agreement. The bid involved 4,000 homes and that has now suddenly doubled, ‘says Baas. ‘People come here because they want to live in a spacious, rural area and then you put a large lump of concrete in the polder. By way of comparison: Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel has 9,000 homes. We think this is really a village too far. ‘
An online information meeting about the developments in the Zuidplaspolder will be held on 15 April. The Zuidplas municipal council will discuss the master plan for the first time on 21 April.
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