Residents against arrival of migrant workers’ s-Heerenhoek ‘We are stunned’

This weekend, local residents received a brochure and letter on the past housing and transport mat. The Zeeland agency for the employment of technical and logistical personnel wishes to welcome 48 migrant workers to part of the site for the next fifteen years. It’s against the aching leg of local residents. A visit from residents would show that everyone is against the arrival of temporary neighbors.

The previous plans have fallen

“We are stunned, because a few years ago it was already very clear that support for such plans was totally lacking”, writes Wilfried Peeters to the municipality of Borsele on behalf of the inhabitants. It refers to the municipality’s 2016 plan. At that time, Borsele wanted to accommodate 150 to 300 migrant workers at the site.

Due to the resistance that manifested itself, the municipality abandoned the plan. But Alderman Kees Weststrate also said: “But if there is a need, a maximum of 48 migrant workers can come and live. But there are no concrete plans for that yet.”

These plans are there now. The employment agency writes in the letter to local residents that there is a high demand for suitable housing for migrant workers. “There are 2,350 migrant workers in Bevelanden alone,” writes the company. “This number is expected to increase by a thousand over the next ten years.” Due to the housing shortage, businesses in the Sloe area are expected to face staff shortages, the employment agency says.

The houses were already planned

The site was bought by the municipality of Borsele at the end of 2016 for 1.5 million euros, half of which was paid by the province. Since then, the area has partly been turned into a park with greenery, seating and play equipment. This is to the great satisfaction of the inhabitants of ‘s-Heerenhoek.

Accommodation for migrant workers is provided on part of the site belonging to the Cingelveste company. He wants to build houses on this part in the future. But as there is still enough room to lodge elsewhere in ‘s-Heerenhoek, construction plans at the AMAC site are on hold.

Lack of support

The intention is that the 48 migrant workers will be accommodated in twelve new temporary accommodation to be built. To achieve this, a temporary environmental permit is required, as the area has a commercial purpose in the zoning plan. Prior Housing expects to submit a permit application before July.

In the meantime, residents expect the municipality to weigh heavily on the lack of support among the injured.