Project developer sues Noord-Holland province over land values

Wednesday 18 July 2012

Project developer Chipshol, which is embroiled in a long-running dispute over land around Schiphol airport, is suing the province of Noord-Holland for €9m, reports press agency Novum.

Chipshol claims that when the land was compulsorily purchased for the construction of a provincial road, the price paid was too low. At the time, the land was subject to a redevelopment ban which was later withdrawn, saving the province millions of euros, says the company.

The Chipshol case began in 2005 when the project developer went to court accusing local authorities, national government, air traffic control body LVNL and Schiphol airport of working together to prevent it developing a business park close to the airport.

Competition authority

Since then, Chipshol has won damages from various parties but it still wants to know why the Dutch competition authority NMa has not investigated Schiphol's role in the affair. NMa chairman Pieter Kalbfleisch resigned over the case in 2011.

Earlier this month, Chipshol asked national ombudsman Alex Brenninkmeijer to investigate the role played by the NMa and by infrastructure minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen who was involved in the case as junior minister.

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