Village threatened by port expansion could be saved by new plan

A village with 1,100 inhabitants that has been facing shutdown for the last year under plans to expand an industrial port in Noord-Brabant, could be saved after the government came up with an alternative, smaller-scale development.

The municipal council in Moerdijk said a year ago that the entire village would have to be demolished to make room for the Powerport development, which needs 400 to 500 hectares of land.

The expansion of the port and industrial site includes high-voltage substations, transformer stations, and pipelines to support the transition to clean energy and supply power to homes and businesses in the coming decades.

But junior climate minister Jo-Annes de Bat said in a letter to parliament on Tuesday that “a new scenario has arisen” that would involve a smaller expansion of around 200 hectares, allowing Moerdijk to remain.

He said the amount of space required for the development was less than previously estimated, partly because more efficient batteries were available and the government has downscaled its ambitions to develop hydrogen power.

The future of the village remains uncertain because residents still need to be consulted on the plan and issues such as noise pollution during the development.

Financial commitments

The government will continue to honour its financial commitments to Moerdijk, including a pledge to fully compensate villagers for their land and property and €25 million in community funding.

De Bat said the national and provincial government would continue to consult residents on all the options. “Residents of the village of Moerdijk and the surrounding region have rightly been asking for clarity for a long time,” he wrote.

Villagers gave a cautious welcome to the announcement. A spokesman for community group Dorpstafel Moerdijk said: “The amount of space required has shrunk by more than half compared to a year ago.

”That is good news, especially if it means the village can remain. But we still have no guarantees.”