Moerdijk Residents to Contest Payout, Seek 350% Compensation for Planned Village Removal
The community has hired attorney Geert Jan Knoops, who cites European rights case law that weighs losses beyond market value.
Overview
- The municipality raised its voluntary buyout from 95% to 100% of appraised value as a temporary measure and stressed it is not a final expropriation settlement.
- Residents, organized as Bewonerscollectief Moerdijk, plan legal action to replace the 100% offer with compensation that covers relocation, a new home, and non-market harms.
- Alderman Danny Dingemans called the 350% demand ambitious but said such a figure could follow if all components of residents’ damages are included.
- Provincial and national approvals for the industrial and energy expansion remain pending, with construction slated to begin in 2028 and finish around 2033.
- A local broker says the housing market has largely stalled and prices are 10–15% below nearby villages, while roughly 70% of households support the residents’ petition.