Defense Ministry designates 56 locations for military expansion
The Ministry of Defense had designated 56 locations for expanding the armed forces’ activities. “This program encompasses the Dutch Safety Delta Works: everything fits together. You can’t take anything out of it,” caretaker Defense State Secretary Gijst Tuinman said to NOS.
The locations are largely the same as those the Cabinet already expressed its preference for in May. Most striking is the designation of Lelystad Airport as a base for the F-35 fighter jets. The province of Flevoland had previously said that it would only agree to this if the government also allowed civil aviation at the airport.
“Lelystad is the best location for expanding fighter aircraft capacity,” Tuinman said. “But it is clear that we still have some work to do there.”
Lelystad Airport is not the only location about which the State Secretary has had to have difficult conversations and negotiations in recent months. In several locations, houses or agricultural land will have to be expropriated, or businesses relocated to make the required space.
Additional research is still needed for eight locations. For example, the Ministry must still assess helicopter use at the Harskamp military base and figure out how to limit noise pollution at the Woensdrecht and Gilze-Rijen air bases.
Now that the Ministry of Defense has made its final decision, the caretaker Cabinet will decide on these locations next month. The plan will then be submitted to parliament for approval. If it gets the green light, the project will enter the implementation phase.
