# Cabinet says village of Moerdijk can stay as expansion shrinks

> State secretary Jo-Annes de Bat told the Tweede Kamer that keeping the village of Moerdijk in Noord-Brabant is feasible, but the final choice has not been made.

Politics · published 2026-11-11 06:40 · https://nlnow.nl/a/cabinet-says-village-of-moerdijk-can-stay-as-expansion-shrinks/

Jo-Annes de Bat, state secretary for Climate and Green Growth (CDA), wrote to the Tweede Kamer on Tuesday that a scenario in which the village of Moerdijk is preserved is "feasible" (haalbaar). The land needed for the industrial and port expansion around it, Powerport, falls from 450 to about 200 hectares, his letter says.

**Why it matters**

- De Bat says the final choice can only be made once liveability is guaranteed, for the whole municipality and not only the village.
- The national government, the province and the municipality will jointly study the effects of the expansion on liveability, health and the living environment.
- The Moerdijk scheme, which lets residents who want to leave sell their home to the municipality, is extended and gives certainty through 2029.

The municipal executive told the council that it would be "positive news" if the village gets a sustainably liveable future, but said there is still too little evidence for a definitive judgement on the scenario. It agreed to further research but did not state a preference. Alderman Danny Dingemans wants clarity on which Powerport components will still be built around the village.

Provincial minister Wilma Dirken welcomed the narrower, more concrete plan: "The new course offers prospects, but we are not there yet." A municipal spokesperson called it "a good first step".

Residents are cautious. The Dorpstafel Moerdijk, a residents' group, sees a good sign but no guarantees yet: "Only when it is in black and white will everyone be satisfied." The Bewonerscollectief Moerdijk, a second residents' group, said: "On paper those are very fine words from the state secretary, but for us nothing has changed at all." It asked what happens if the cabinet falls or the state secretary changes.

Last year the municipal council gave the go-ahead for "search direction east" (zoekrichting oost), under which the village would disappear in time. The executive wants to wait for all the studies before putting a new proposal to the council.

## Background

- **Tweede Kamer**: The House of Representatives, the lower and more powerful house of the Dutch parliament. Its 150 members are elected directly; it can amend bills and holds the cabinet to account.
- **Powerport**: Powerport is a planned industrial and port expansion area in the Moerdijk region of the Netherlands, close to the village of Moerdijk in North Brabant. It is meant to host large industrial companies and port-related activity, including projects for the energy transition. Because it is a planned area, its size and boundaries are set through government plans and are still subject to change.

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