College of Zeewolde submits zoning plan despite opponents’ gains

The Municipal Executive of Zeewolde will submit the zoning plan for the Meta data center this week. This happens despite the criticism from the national government and after the parties that are against the data center have won the municipal elections.

The current council has decided to publish the zoning plan from Wednesday, writes the Stentor. Citizens and those involved then have six weeks to appeal against the zoning plan. This plan describes what the Meta hyperscale data center should look like and where it will be located.

The Municipal Executive originally intended to submit the zoning plan for the data center at the same time as permits that the province of Flevoland and the Zuiderzeeland Water Board must prepare for it. However, it will take a long time before those permits are issued. That is why the municipality already wants to submit the zoning plan. It contains not only the plan for Meta’s data center, but also a broader plan to expand the business park around it.

The timing of the plans is nevertheless striking. The plans have been under fire for months, now also by the national government. Minister Hugo de Jonge of Housing and Spatial Planning said last week that he did not like the data center. The minister has an important role in the process, because the land for the data center has to be sold by the Central Government Real Estate Agency under his care. In addition, there is a lot of local criticism, which was also validated by the voter. Leefbaar Zeewolde is an outspoken opponent of the data center and won an absolute majority during the municipal elections last week. The ChristenUnie is also an opponent and won seats. It is not yet clear how this will affect the plans. The party has already indicated that it cannot simply reverse the zoning plan.

Artist impression Meta data center Zeewolde