Environmental Permit Granted for Construction of a Shelter in Zevenbergen

Last year, the city council decided to establish a shelter for up to 200 asylum seekers on Schansdijk in Zevenbergen. On September 19, 2024, the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) was granted the environmental permit for the construction.

The permit that was issued is available for public inspection at City Hall. Anyone wishing to view the permit may contact the Safety, Permits, Oversight, and Enforcement team by calling 140168.

The six-week objection period begins on September 19. During this period, interested parties may file a written objection to the permit that has been granted. Instructions on how to do so can be found on the municipality’s website.

Timeline
The COA will begin construction shortly. It is estimated that the first residents will move in during the spring of 2025.

Residents of “
” The permit for the reception center has been granted for a maximum of 10 years. In the administrative agreement reached on December 20, 2023, between the municipality and the COA, it was agreed that the facility will provide housing for: 

• Preferably, all status holders registered with the municipality should be prioritized. These are asylum seekers who have been granted residence status and are registered with the municipality of Moerdijk. Being registered means that the municipality of Moerdijk is required to find housing for them.
• Next are status holders who are waiting for housing elsewhere in the region. From the reception center, it is easier for them to get a head start on their integration into the municipality where they will eventually live. 
• Finally, foreign nationals with a promising asylum application, preferably with a recommendation for placement in the region.
• Only if there is still space available at the facility will the COA proceed to admit another target group of asylum seekers with an active asylum application or—if the COA has no need for additional asylum shelter—lease the facility to the municipality for the (community-based) shelter of other target groups. 

 This means that the reception center houses both people who have been granted residency status and those whose cases are still pending. Asylum seekers living in the reception center who are notified that their application has been denied must leave the center within 28 days. The COA provides them with guidance during this process.