Moerdijk residents considering going to court over village's disappearance
Residents of Moerdijk village in Noord-Brabant are considering legal action after government plans to expand the nearby harbor and industrial zone could lead to the village being demolished, Trouw reports. The expansion, supported by the national government and the province, would include a high-voltage station on the village site, effectively erasing the community.
The newly formed Bewonerscollectief Moerdijk, representing 180 households—about one-third of the village—says the municipality has “put the village in an inhumane position” and “ignored their cry for help” by cooperating with the plans. A final decision on the village’s future has been delayed for six months.
Marianne Quik, speaking for the collective, said the delay likely reflects public opposition. “I think the national government and the province were shocked by the emotions in the village. And the municipality ran ahead by already agreeing to the plans,” she told Trouw.
Legal steps are being prepared with attorney Geert‑Jan Knoops, who said there is no Dutch precedent for dissolving a village, leaving open the possibility of taking the case to the European court.
Quik criticized the municipality for prior investments in the village, including new homes and a bicycle path to Zevenbergen, which she says contradict the idea of erasing the community. “The community feels betrayed by the municipal council. They are giving up the village just like that,” she said.
The collective is demanding full compensation for homeowners and renters, suggesting 350 percent of market value for homes as reasonable. “A village is more than houses; it is a community. Its price is priceless,” Quik said.
Quik and her husband, who live in the oldest house in Moerdijk, said the situation affects their daily life. “We don’t want to leave. We want to die here,” she said.
