New barracks, runways, training grounds: Defense is out of the lead, also at the expense of houses and companies

Roaring F-35s above Lelystad and surroundings. Amphibious exercises of Marines on the beaches near Schagen. A mega barracks in the – now – quiet Polderland near Zeewolde.

The plans for defense with the spatial design of the Netherlands are just as drastic for citizens as far as far -reaching for the country. On Friday, the cabinet announced the dozens of places where it wants to have a new barracks, ammunition depots, runways and practice places installed, and where extensions of existing locations must be placed. The plans for Lelystad Airport, which should get a combined commercial and military future, the coast at Schagen where a training place for Marines is planned and the future Kazernecomplex Zeewolde are only three of the many ‘preferred locations’ that stand out.

The defense claim to the available space is growing from the current 35,000 hectares to roughly 37,000 hectares in 2035 as ‘space slurers’ such as the super barracks and extensions of training grounds must be ready. Earlier, presumably within a few years, it is getting busier in the air with drones and helicopters. The (amphibious) activity also increases at sea, off the coast of North and South Holland and in the Wadden area.

Unlike the rather abstract billions for defense that are tumbling in the media, it is about concrete intentions with concrete consequences, although they will only become visible and tangible in the longer term. Houses, business premises and farms – for the time being a few dozen – have to give way, especially in Flevoland; Their owners must be bought out. Many more citizens will be confronted with noise nuisance. The 1,500 asylum seekers who are still staying in the AZC in Budel must leave, because the defense wants to take the barracks into use again from 2028. Protected areas Such as the wide sandy beaches of Vlieland are used for shooting exercises or training with drones.

Nature organizations, provinces and municipalities also responded varying. In addition to worrying – Zeker after Natural fires in which army unit had played a role – there were also positive sounds. Nature and Environmental Federation Drenthe found the transformation from bare agricultural land to a nature area by Defense ‘a unique opportunity’. Staphorst reacted almost offended when it noticed that it was not included in the plans And offered the development of an existing ammunition depot.

The Staphorster directors receive a compliment from the State Secretary for this. « The fact that the municipality of Staphorst takes a step forward from its responsibility to (..) make an active contribution to national security and space for defense is worth mentioning, » writes gardener. The civilian sense is accompanied by Handjeklap: the State Secretary will see if the connection of Staphorst to the A28 can be improved.

Earthquake

In Friday’s letter, the effects of the surroundings and environmental impact reports that defense made are clearly visible. The earthquake area in Groningen remains protected from the ammunition depot that would come there. Some ‘spring areas’ for exercises with explosives, such as with Swifterbant, have also been canceled. Horse holders-with connections were allowed June last year do their say in the Lower House And managed to mitigate the consequences for their industry and animals in East Brabant and North Limburg, although nitrogen also played a role there. Reopening of De Peel airport that was involved, no longer occurs in the plans.

How to proceed? « At the end of this year, it will be announced what we will actually do, » says a spokesperson for Defense. In the meantime, the House of Representatives, provinces, municipalities and directly involved such as people who have to respond to their homes can. Defense wants to keep the plans intact as much as possible. It points to intensive preparations and hopes for more ‘Kennedy moments’ à la Staphorst (« Do not ask what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country, » said US President Kennedy in 1961). On Friday afternoon, right after the Council of Ministers, Defense was busy informing those involved before they would hear news through the media – in part leaked out.

The Council of State can still throw a spanner in the works. The administrative judges must judge any disputes in the necessary licensing. After the allowance affair, people in those circles intended not to go along with all government wishes in advance. For when things are going wrong, the Ministry of Defense has an administrative Bazooka ready: the department is preparing a separate law for that space to deviate from (European) environmental rules with an appeal to the ‘urgency’ of the situation in the world, said State Secretary Gardener in March.

How that ‘state’ can change, shows the History of a village In North Friesland where Defense also wants to build a ammunition depot. In Kollumerwaard, an ammunition storage opened in 1986, Van Muiden Chemie. Four years later, in 1990, the depot closed again. The wall had fallen, there was peace.

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