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Recreationalists at the Sandevoerde campsite have been campaigning for years. A project developer wants to build luxury cottages on the site of the Zandvoort campsite. “What is happening now is not possible and should not be allowed,” says camper and activist Samira Lurks in the WNL Op de Barricade program.
“The problem started three years ago,” said Michel, one of the other victims. “We all got a letter. A project developer had bought the campsite land. As if we all wanted to fuck off, because they wanted to build luxury bungalows and get rich as hell. The people here were shocked. This is our place, our home.”
In 2021, there were still 400 caravans on Sandevoerde. Most of them have already disappeared. The owners were not willing to wait for the rain and chose their money. Now only about a hundred remain. The hard heart that remains does not intend to just leave. What makes their campsite so special that they are willing to fight for it?
“It’s really a family campground,” Lurks explains. “We’ve all known each other for years. Some families have been here at the campsite for five generations. Because of the struggle we are fighting together, the bond has never been so close. “
‘Like a cat in a strange warehouse’
Ton still has hope that the campsite will continue. “I think it will take a while. If it ever happens. If it really stops, it will be a problem. Because in principle you can’t go anywhere anymore. You are like a cat in a strange warehouse when you end up somewhere else. People have gone to the Veluwe, but they are not at all happy there.”
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Ton doesn’t like to spend the whole summer in Amsterdam. “Then there are not many options. Here you sit with a cup of coffee, in our underwear if necessary, but you won’t do that where I live.”
A happy place
Ronald moved into the campsite in 2019 with his now deceased partner Theo. “He killed himself. That makes it a bit more intense and also a bit more dramatic. This has to stay for a while, the campsite, because I like it here. We paid 60,000 euros. This started two years later. In retrospect, of course, I never would have done it. This is mine happy placeso i really want to stay here. That campsite is great, it’s like family.”
“I miss the human side from the town of Zandvoort,” said Elvira. “Ideology: I am there for my people. We have a group of people who want to camp. But no, it’s a revenue model. Money is above people, that is what is happening now. “
Do you know how this turns out? Check back on the Barricade through NPO will start.
Door: Hans Stehouwer
2024-11-20 12:00:00
#Campsite #dwellers #luxury #bungalows #place #home
What are the main concerns that you and other campers have regarding the environmental implications of building luxury bungalows on the Sandevoerde campsite?
Hello, thank you for agreeing to this interview about the Sandevoerde campsite and the issue of luxury cottages being built on its land. Could you please introduce yourselves and tell us your involvement or relationship with the campsite?
Samira: Hello, I’m Samira Lurks. I am a camper and an activist at the Sandevoerde campsite. I’ve been coming here for many years now and I’m part of the group fighting against the development of luxury cottages.
Michel: Hi, I’m Michel. I’ve been camping at Sandevoerde for over a decade now. I consider this place my home, and I’m one of the victims of the project developer’s plan to build luxury bungalows.
Ton: I’m Ton, I’ve been coming to this campsite for over 20 years. It’s my home away from home, and I can’t imagine not being here. The idea of building luxury bungalows is just not right. It goes against the spirit of what makes this place special.
Ronald: Hello, I’m Ronald. I moved to Sandevoerde just before my late partner passed away. We had been planning to spend the rest of our lives here. This place means a lot to me and I want to stay.
Elvira: I’m Elvira, a local resident of Zandvoort. I support the campsite residents’ fight against the luxury cottage project because it seems like money is being put before people. The town should value its citizens and their happiness more.
Let’s start with how the issue of luxury cottages affects the campers. Samira, you mentioned that the project goes against the family atmosphere at the campsite. Can you expand on that?
Samira: Yes, at Sandevoerde, we’ve known each other for years. It’s a close-knit community, and that’s what makes it so special. We share our lives here; birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations. Introducing luxury cottages would change that dynamic and make it feel more like a tourist destination rather than a home away from home.
Mich
