The Municipality of Moerdijk Exercises Right of First Refusal on Powerport Land

The municipality of Moerdijk has established a municipal right of first refusal on a large portion of the land in the search area for Powerport Moerdijk. This means that the municipality has the first right to purchase if a landowner wishes to sell land in the area. With this decision, Moerdijk maintains control over the land in the search area.

In the municipality of Moerdijk, approximately 400 to 500 hectares (roughly 675 soccer fields) of space must be found. This is needed, among other things, for energy projects required to expand the capacity of the power grid, as well as to provide space for industry to become more sustainable and reduce our dependence on raw materials from abroad. This space is being sought in the area east and southeast of the Moerdijk port and industrial zone.
Because of these plans, the land around the village of Moerdijk and Moerdijk Logistics Park has become attractive to speculators and developers. By establishing a right of first refusal on approximately 1,200 hectares in the target area, the municipality is preventing the land from becoming fragmented among parties whose interests do not primarily align with those of Moerdijk and those of the collaborating government bodies—the national government and the province.

Enabling Desired Developments

The Powerport project is of national importance. It is inevitable that we will need to find a suitable location. At the same time, we want the entire Moerdijk Powerport region to remain a safe and pleasant place to live, work, and enjoy leisure activities. Partly at the initiative of the municipality of Moerdijk, the national government, the province of North Brabant, and the municipalities of Drimmelen, Geertruidenberg, and Moerdijk therefore agreed in 2023 to consider all relevant factors in a coordinated manner. Establishing the right of first refusal helps to facilitate the desired developments in the target area while preventing undesirable ones.

Final designation

On July 1, 2025, the Municipal Executive made a decision regarding the right of first refusal. This is a provisional designation valid for three months. Within that time, the Moerdijk City Council must ratify the designation with a so-called designation resolution. The council is expected to decide on the final designation on September 11, 2025. Owners of land subject to the right of first refusal have received a letter regarding the provisional designation and will receive another letter regarding the final decision.

Learn More

Actuele informatie over de Powerport-ontwikkelingen en veelgestelde vragen over Powerport en het voorkeursrecht staan op de Powerport-pagina.