The Dutch village at risk of being demolished

The Dutch village at risk of being demolished

Located in the southern region of the Netherlands, near a sprawling estuary, a village home to approximately 1,100 residents faces the possibility of being erased from the map. Moerdijk, a small fishing hamlet 34km (21 miles) south of Rotterdam, stands at the crossroads of the nation’s push for green energy. The Dutch government has identified the area as a critical site for high-voltage substations, essential for linking electricity from expanding offshore wind farms to the national grid. However, the scarcity of available land has forced planners to consider Moerdijk as a prime candidate for this transformation.

Moerdijk’s strategic position, bordering the Hollands Diep estuary and adjacent to ports, motorways, and existing power lines, makes it an attractive location for such infrastructure. Yet this very location threatens the village’s future. Residents now grapple with the prospect of their homes being demolished within the next ten years, potentially leading to the village’s complete disappearance. “We are being brought to the slaughter house,” says Jaco Koman, a third-generation fishmonger whose family has relied on the estuary’s resources since 1918.

“You go to bed with it and you wake up with it,” Koman reflects on the uncertainty. His business continues to thrive, supplying smoked eels to high-end restaurants nationwide. But the same open spaces that sustain his livelihood are now earmarked for energy projects. “Are they really saying that you have to go with your village?” he questions, his voice trembling with concern.

The village’s fate has sparked a wave of unease. For sale signs dot the gravel driveways, yet few buyers are eager to invest in a place that may no longer exist. Flags hang at half-mast, a symbolic gesture of mourning for a community that, while still physically present, feels increasingly impermanent. Andrea, owner of the local grocery shop, voices the emotional weight of the situation. “I’m scared I’ll lose my house,” she admits. “There’s so much life here. But in 10 years’ time it may be nothing.”

Moerdijk’s dilemma mirrors broader challenges across the Netherlands. With a dense population and competing demands on limited land, the country struggles to balance housing, farming, nature, transportation, and the infrastructure required for renewable energy. In some areas, the electricity grid is already overwhelmed, delaying projects for years. At the same time, the state aims to harness offshore wind potential in the North Sea, requiring efficient ways to bring power ashore. The question remains: why is Moerdijk the chosen site?

Geerten Boogaard, a professor of local government at Leiden University, highlights the power dynamics at play. “In the end we are a centralist state,” he explains. When the national government deems an area vital to national interests, it employs legal mechanisms to enforce its plans. While local councils and residents can voice objections, the final decision rests with central authorities. This process, though effective, comes with political and financial costs.