Tackling silting together
The coast near Westvoorne is silting up and research shows that the coastal area is changing as a result. The Municipality of Westvoorne and the municipal council want the beach to remain in balance with the surrounding nature. To this end, in collaboration with a number of parties, follow-up research is being conducted to see what can be done with the area in the long term. Participatory action research is being used for short-term actions.
In February 2020, at the behest of a coalition of twelve parties (the province of South Holland, the municipalities of Brielle, Goeree-Overflakkee, Hellevoetsluis, Nissewaard and Westvoorne, water board Hollandse Delta, Rijkswaterstaat, Havenbedrijf Rotterdam, Natuurmonumenten, Zuid-Hollands Landschap and Recreatieschap Voorne-Putten), the municipality of Westvoorne commissioned a coastal silting study by the firm Arcadis. From this it became clear that the area will silt up significantly in the coming decades. The question of how to deal with this cannot yet be answered properly. To this end, the coalition of parties will enter into discussions with the national government and further research will be conducted.
Short-term participatory action research
In the short term, the Municipality of Westvoorne wants to make a plan together with the recreational entrepreneurs to keep the area attractive for both residents and guests. This will make use of participatory action research. This method means that the municipality works together with its residents, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders on an action plan. This will not be a plan of the municipality, but a plan of all stakeholders in which each stakeholder also has its own task. The purpose of the plan is to keep the area and the coastal experience attractive for residents, recreationists and tourists in the short term as well. Together we are also looking for possible opportunities that the silting up can offer. The Westvoorne municipal council is positive about this approach.
Initial discussions are currently taking place with potential stakeholders. In early 2023, the plan will be presented to the new council of Voorne aan Zee.