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News article | 11-05-2023 | 13:54
A decision on the final preferred location of the central barracks will no longer be possible this year. State Secretary Van der Maat writes this in a letter to the House of Representatives. Defense wants to go through a broader spatial process. This means that the players in the region remain in uncertainty.
The central barracks is a major project of the Real Estate 2022 Strategic Plan. The Ministry of Defense wants to use it to concentrate real estate, make it more sustainable and renew it. This project is an important strategic step towards the armed forces of the future.
With a central barracks, the Ministry of Defense wants to consolidate some of the support units in one place.
little space
When choosing the central barracks, the limited space must be taken into account. The interests of the inhabitants and the missions of the municipalities and provinces must also be taken into account. At the end of 2022, Van der Maat informed the House of Representatives on behalf of the cabinet that a provisional preference is for a location in the municipality of Zeewolde. The Secretary of State wanted to be transparent in this regard with the province, the municipality and especially the neighboring farm families. Van der Maat also wanted to bring clarity due to other spatial challenges in Flevoland, such as housing.
Final choice
The Ministry of Defense then began talks with regional and local administrators under the leadership of “administrative ambassador” Bas van ‘t Wout. Van der Maat: “Partly based on the discussions, we see added value in developing the scenarios with the partners involved. This is also necessary to arrive at a more sustainable decision.
Offer outlook
The intention was for the cabinet to make a final decision on the location of the barracks in the middle of this year. By postponing the choice, the provinces, the municipalities and the agricultural families concerned in Zeewolde remain in uncertainty. Van der Maat: “It’s extremely boring. In these long-term processes, there is always a search for balance. Between transparency on one side and choice of the right moment on the other. I’ll see if we can offer them some perspective.
The Secretary of State will brief the House before the summer on the details of the space process.
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