Locals block plans to open hospice in wealthy Bloemendaal

The residents of luxury villas on Midden Duin and Daalseweg in Bloemendaal, the wealthiest municipality in the Netherlands, have blocked plans to open a hospice in the area with threats of going to the Supreme Court, the Telegraaf reports.

Hospice Haarlem was offered a large villa in the area by the heirs of the deceased owner, Theo Eicholtz. It was a dream property, Hospice Haarlem director Pauline Jäger told the newspaper. “A unique opportunity at a unique location in the countryside.” The hospice planned for ten beds in the country house - six for people in their final days of life and four residential care rooms for people in need of care who could stay there temporarily so that their caregivers could catch their breath.

“Unfortunately, it was not meant to be,” Jäger said. “There was a lot of enthusiasm about the plan in the neighborhood, but there were some fierce opponents.”Hospice Haarlem received a letter with objections to the hospice, signed anonymously [email protected]. The objections were many and varied.

“From people seeing bedside lamps on at night to children in the neighborhood possibly seeing terminally ill people. There were objections to increased parking pressure and the fear that hearses would drive through the street. Neighbors sent out a survey so that residents could tick all possible objections.” There were also fears that the arrival of a hospice would open the area to other businesses or social institutions. “The survey contained many objections, actually too many to mention. I think that the opponents did not really look at the content of our plan.”

According to Jäger, Hospice Haarlem decided to just give up on the location after some locals threatened to go to the Supreme Court to prevent its arrival. The fight would cost too much time and money and generate a lot of negative energy, which does not suit the institution, she said. “We want to help people who need us so badly. That could have been done with this opportunity. It is a great pity, also for the family. They would have seen the hospice at this location as a beautiful memorial to Theo.”

The Hospice is now looking for another location in the region. The Eichholtz family and the municipality of Bloemendaal continue to support this expansion initiative. The Eichholtz family has listed the empty villa for sale for 5.8 million euros.

The Bloemendaal office of mayor and alderman would not comment on the scrapped plans to the Telegraaf. The office was previously very enthusiastic about opening a hospice in the area, saying it was of great social importance.

“The fact is that a quarter of the Bloemendaal population is over 65 years old, and 20 percent of them are widows or widowers. So there is very often no partner in the house who can provide care,” the municipality told the Telegraaf. “This plan is of great social importance, whereby the initiative ties in with both municipal and national policy.”