Latest news: municipality exits project.
We received the following message from the municipality:
'Venlo steps out of Exploration More Meuse More Venlo'
I hereby inform you that one of the partners in the project, namely the Municipality of Venlo, has decided to withdraw from the project.
I will explain the background to this, outline the sequel as well as why I am reporting to you.
Reason
Because of the Venlo municipality's financial situation, all major projects were recently held up to the light, including the Integral Exploration More Meuse More Venlo project.
The project has several tasks to combine. The main task is to take measures to protect the area between Venlo-Velden and Groot Boller during high water. This includes dykes and gullies.
Venlo previously contributed a number of spatial-economic developments that could be perfectly linked to the flood protection task. These include the development of the barge terminal, the industrial port and (the relocation of) the marina.
The aim was to arrive at a single integrated solution by exploring the possible solutions for these tasks together with partners. That was also the reason why several parties (municipality of Venlo, Limburg Water Board, province of Limburg and the State) decided to join forces in a single project. That became the Integral Exploration More Meuse More Venlo. Participating in that project requires all parties to contribute to the process costs and risks. In addition, this also requires Venlo to make a financial contribution to pay for the spatial tasks it contributed.
Decision
In June this year, Venlo City Council decided in the 2019 Framework Memorandum that projects could be submitted for reconsideration. The Municipal Executive subsequently took another good look at all projects and considers it necessary to reduce the risk profile of projects to zero wherever possible. For this reason, all things considered, the Municipal Executive wishes Venlo to leave the Meer Maas Meer Venlo exploration project. Venlo has since informed the other partners of this decision. The final decision-making will take place at the council's budget discussion in November.
This exit implies that Venlo is no longer a trigger for More Meuse More Venlo, nor a partner. Implementation of the high-water protection task does, of course, remain on the agenda. Because the essence of More Meuse More Venlo was precisely the combination of high-water protection tasking and spatial-economic tasks, the Integral Exploration More Meuse More Venlo actually ends with Venlo's withdrawal.
For external coverage of the decision, the Venlo municipality prepared a council information letter. Attached to this letter is the report on which the college based its consideration and decision.
Both documents (Council Information Letter Venlo 2018 -114 Position Venlo irt Meer Maas Meer Venlo and the Report Position Venlo irt Meer Maas Meer Venlo) can be found on the More Maas More Venlo website at https://www.meermaasmeervenlo.nl/documenten/.
Continued
The parties to the project will discuss with each other the implications of Venlo's decision. The flood protection task is primarily a task of the Water Board and will be taken up by it. However, the municipality will be involved in the flood protection task on the basis of its concern for the environment and the safety of residents and businesses. In this sense, the parties, each from their own role and responsibility, will act jointly in its concrete implementation.
At Venlo, further decision-making will then take place on the future of the spatial-economic developments brought in earlier in Meer Maas Meer Venlo. For instance, the council will decide next December on the expansion of the Barge Terminal and, in the first half of 2019, decision-making on the Industriehaven and the marina will be before the council.
This spring, the formal kick-off of the EIA procedure was given, with the submission (for consultation) for inspection of the Notitie Reikwijdte en Detailniveau (NRD). As reported earlier, the Meer Maas Meer Venlo project organisation was finalising a response to the questions and comments received. As a result of the withdrawal of the municipality of Venlo, the steering group Meer Maas Meer Venlo will discuss what this means and what consequences this will have for the tasks in the area. The views and recommendations submitted on the Detailed Reach and Detail Level Memorandum and the Future Sketch Meer Maas Meer Venlo will therefore be part of a careful file transfer.With that, it is now first and foremost up to the Steering Group to decide what the follow-up will look like. The submitters will be notified of the outcome. This is expected to be early next year.
Because the port and the future developments there are important to you, I thought it would be a good idea to inform you of the collective decision of the Municipality of Venlo concerning More Meuse More Venlo. Precisely because of the relationship it establishes with the follow-up process of decision-making on the port. The project management of the Port Vision (Mr Joram Donkers) will take the initiative to inform you more specifically in the run-up to the decision-making process.
The Meer Maas Meer Venlo project organisation is available for information on the Venlo municipality's decision.
Sincerely,
Kaat Appelman
Project director Exploration More Meuse More Venlo
All information on the project is back found on the website: www.meermaasmeervenlo.nl
Any questions can be sent to info@meermaasmeervenlo.nl.
News release of 12 October 2018:
The Meer Maas Meer Venlo exploration project has been put "on hold".
Ondernemend Venlo is concerned about this and will enter into talks with the municipality and the Water Board on this matter. It would be unfortunate if the Water Board goes ahead with the planning and the entrepreneurs are soon faced with a fait accompli. Ondernemend Venlo believes that an integral approach should always be the goal. We will keep you informed.
The More Meuse More Venlo site writes about this:
At the end of June last year, Venlo City Council adopted the Framework Memorandum. Against the background of the current financial situation of the Venlo municipality, it was also decided that all major projects and policy developments may be presented to the council for reconsideration due to their risk profile.
The college reviewed all major projects and policy developments thereon. The college's priority is to get a sufficient grip on the risks facing the municipality of Venlo. This consideration also includes Venlo's position in the Meer Maas Meer Venlo project.
Venlo has since informed its partners in the More Meuse More Venlo project about this. It was jointly determined that this will result in the More Meuse More Venlo project being temporarily 'on hold'.
Final decisions on Venlo's role in the More Meuse More Venlo project are up to the council. It will decide in November, as part of the budget procedure. The college will prepare this so that careful consideration can be given.
The project is in the 'exploration phase'. Earlier, it was announced that to this end, the various possible solutions and alternatives would be further explored in the coming period. In the process, the surrounding area would again be explicitly asked for input.
Given the upcoming decision-making by the council, the elaboration of solutions and alternatives announced for this autumn will be suspended with partners and the surrounding area. Following Venlo's decision-making, partners in the project will consider the follow-up by the end of this year. We expect to provide further news on this in early 2019.
In spring this year, the formal kick-off of the EIA procedure was given with the submission (for consultation) of the Scope and Detail Document (NRD).
The project organisation is currently finalising the answers to the questions and comments received. The submitters will be personally notified this autumn, as already announced.
The Meer Maas Meer Venlo project organisation is available for information and to answer questions about the project.
