At a public meeting on Tuesday evening, Moerdijk village council confirmed that demolishing the village, home to around 1,100 people, appears to be the only viable option to create enough space for the project.

The Powerport development needs 400 to 500 hectares of land for 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.

Mayor Aart-Jan Moerkerke described the decision as emotionally difficult. “We are asking an enormous sacrifice from our residents,” he told broadcaster NOS. “People have lived with uncertainty for years. This is a moment to take responsibility and to do what we promise.”

Under the proposal, residents would be able to remain in the village for up to 10 years. Construction of the new energy facilities is due to begin in 2028 and to be completed by 2033.

The council has attached strict conditions to the plan and is calling on the national and provincial governments to commit to them before any final decision is taken.

These include fair financial compensation, urgent help for displaced residents to find new homes, and the creation of a regional development fund to support community life while the village is still in existence.

“The principle must be: first give, then take,” the council said in a statement on its website. “Moerdijk is taking responsibility for a national job, but it expects the same from The Hague and the province.”

The proposal will be put to the Moerdijk council for formal approval before being submitted to the national and provincial authorities. A final decision on the preferred expansion route for the industrial area is expected on December 1.

If the plan is approved, it will take around a decade for all legal, environmental and technical procedures to be completed. “Life for residents and local businesses must not come to a standstill in that time,” the mayor said.