Residents close to De Hurk industrial estate had to endure a heavy blow in their battle against heavy industry on Tuesday evening. A majority of the Eindhoven council approved the zoning plan that regulates the expansion of ABZ Diervoeding (animal food): one of the companies that causes a lot of nuisance in the area.
Residents tried to get politicians on their side with a last-minute action this week but it is unclear to what extent this still convinced parties. What is certain is that it did not ultimately result in a majority: 25 council members voted in favour of the zoning plan, 19 against. The approval makes it a lot easier for ABZ to realise its desired expansion. This will provide for a 40 per cent growth.
Residents fear that the expansion will only increase the nuisance that this factory is already causing in the neighbourhood. “The smell of animal feed can often be detected in the neighbourhood”, resident Diana Kretschmann explains. “ABZ also emits fine dust. People in the vicinity are breathing all that in, on our schoolyards, sports fields and gardens. We also have problems with lorry traffic, which will only get worse with the expansion”.
An even greater fear, is the conviction that the now approved expansion of ABZ will be a harbinger for many more expansions of other companies with heavy industry on De Hurk. “They will soon see their chance”, Kretschmann estimates. “If ABZ is allowed to do so, others will follow”.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Bob
