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The majority of the province of Gelderland asks the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management to adjust the nitrogen plan for the purchase of farmers for the expansion of the A27 near Utrecht. If this does not happen, the politicians of Gelderland will not cooperate in the expansion of Amelisweerd.
It has recently emerged that the ministry has bought six Gelderland farms to allow for the widening of the A27 near Utrecht. The province was not notified.
The province held an emergency debate on the issue today. Gelderland rules also require the demolition of stables, but the ministry has not made arrangements with those farmers to do so. A large majority are asking for the scrapping plan to be included in the agreements. Exactly how this is legal and what exactly MP Peter Drenth can do, is now being investigated, writes Gelderland broadcast.
As long as Gelderland’s political rules or administrative agreements are violated, the majority want the province not to cooperate in the expansion, for example by withdrawing the nature permits of the companies that have been acquired. If a province refuses to revoke that permit, no nitrogen space will be released and the purchase will be of no use to the ministry.
“Rijk surpassed the province”
Coalition parties describe farmers’ buying as ‘bad’. “The nitrogen dossier is a delicate one and requires administrative precision”, they write in a joint proposal. According to the parties, the government has bypassed the province in buying the farms.
Deputy Peter Drenth was also not happy with the news. “It is much worse what the effect is on the outside. Because it is possible for the asphalt and not for the PAS detectors. I have great difficulties with this, it is impossible to explain,” he says. PAS reporters are suddenly illegal farmers due to the 2019 State Council ruling. According to the old law, they complied with a notification, but now they suddenly need a permit. The government has not yet managed to regulate this.
He claims that he too was unaware of the farmers purchase. The ministry denies it and says there have been consultations. Drenth: “We knew they were looking for space, there was an official consultation and then it remained silent. That is not an administrative consultation”.
Veluwe as an extraction area
Members of Parliament are also very concerned about the takeover of farmers in Gelderland and fear that the Veluwe will be used as an extraction area for all kinds of projects. “This is going completely wrong,” concludes Dirk Vreugdenhil from ChristenUnie.
Drenth does not have a list of projects that look to Gelderland farmers. “I don’t know, but there are many projects like this: A30/A1 junction, Hoevelaken, A2, dam improvements, Schiphol and Lelystad airports. The nitrogen space is really being considered for these kinds of projects, but I have just see it at the withdrawal request.”
According to Drenth, it’s hard to stop. “I can only drive according to our rules, like demolishing the stables, but stop it? It’s almost impossible, because it’s allowed by law. But it’s not desirable.”
