Objections to the Hof ter Walle restoration project
In that sense, the announcement of the restoration is good news. But the appreciation and respect for this site, which is unique for the region, is not reflected in the plans.
The plans concern not only a restoration of the site, but above all a refurbishment in function of use by the Nature & Forest Administration (ANB), which also indicates that the current site does not meet its needs. To remedy this, they want to build a new volume on the historic site beforehand, which should serve as a storage place for vehicles, trailers and materials. In addition, the plan is to divide the house into an office with meeting room and changing rooms. Certain important elements – such as the central cobblestone and dung heap in the courtyard – that give the site its meaning are simply ignored. Depending on the heavy machinery that must be able to drive up and down, people even want to pour a seamless, impermeable concrete floor.
It is clear that no serious thought has gone into the actual restoration of the original site. No alternatives were explored for the site and it was not checked with the local heritage workers. It is a choice that is purely and solely related to the accommodation of the ANB fleet. It’s hard to comprehend that one of the region’s most unique sites will serve only to house heavy machinery and office space. All the more because there are several empty modern sheds and hangars in the area that perfectly meet the need to store large machines.
The EGD&P asks that priority is given to the restoration of the partly collapsed and protected monument due to neglect and negligence and that the plans to add new volumes or divide the historic residence are reviewed. Finally, they express the wish that an action plan will be drawn up with regard to the other rural heritage in the immediate vicinity. Together with Hof ter Walle, these buildings form a unique whole within the polder landscape, which rarely exists in Flanders. Hopefully the history of Hof ter Walle has demonstrated this sufficiently.
