Dinxperlo

This is the report of the first round of talks on the environmental vision in Dinxperlo subarea. A total of about 55 residents participated in the conversation. The conversation was guided by five employees of the municipality of Aalten.

Do you have any comments on this report? Please pass them on to a.vannijkerken@aalten.nl and/or a.vanstraten@aalten.nl. If you would like to give some input for the new environmental vision of the municipality of Aalten, please also use these e-mail addresses.

What was the purpose of this first conversation?

On January 1, 2024, the Environment Act came into force nationwide. Within three years of this date, municipalities must prepare a new environmental vision that meets the requirements set by the Environment Act. One of those requirements is that governments must work in a more area-oriented way. Another requirement is that the new environmental vision must be drawn up together with stakeholders (and thus residents). The municipal council has the final say.

In the period from September 2024 to June 2025, the Municipality of Aalten is conducting area-specific discussions about the new environmental vision. A total of twelve subareas have been distinguished in Aalten for this purpose. Three talks will be held per subarea.

For more information: see environmental vision. You can find all documents (photos report, explanatory presentation) by sub-area here. 

What was the format and format of this first interview?

This first interview consisted of three parts:

1. A short conversation about what makes the subarea (in this case: Dinxperlo) unique, different from other areas, and what points of attention are there for the future.
2. A short conversation about topics (themes) in the living environment that the participants consider most important for their own sub-area or for Aalten as a whole in the future (top 3).
3. A somewhat longer conversation about how participants envision the desired living environment in 2024, and what they think (along those lines) are and are not desirable developments toward 2040.

The conversation was conducted in three different subgroups, at three different tables, under the guidance of one employee of the municipality.

What were the outcomes of this initial conversation?

Below, item by item, are the outcomes of this initial conversation.

Component 1: About the subarea itself (DNA).

So in part 1 it was about the question of what makes Dinxperlo unique, different from other areas, and what are points of attention in this towards 2040. The following was said about this:

Table 1

• Good living environment.
• Friendliness of the people.
• Openness.
• Space for nature.
• Integration with other side of the border.
• Hospitality and bilingualism for German audience.
• Good facilities especially for the elderly.
• Peace, greenery, no windmills.
• Border location/region.
• Quiet.
• Tranquility, amenities, living, greenery.
• Unique location against Germany.
• Cozy.
• Many amenities (school, sports, shopping).
• Right in the green.
• Good accessibility to/via the highway.

As points of interest for the core qualities of Dinxperlo toward the future have been mentioned:

• On B roads, people drive too fast. 80 km/h should become 60 km/h.
• Poor public transportation (mentioned twice).
• Few stores, good restaurants.
• Little club life, less togetherness.
• Noise, vibration.
• Declining middle class, fewer and fewer stores and businesses.
• Traffic is partly congested, therefore sometimes poor accessibility.
• Poor digital infrastructure.
• Policy and vision for charging stations/charging points.
• Why not 1 fast charging point in Dinxperlo?
• Ambulance accessibility.
• Accessibility of facilities/government services.
• More care housing and make sure it stays green.
• Provide more industry (3x mentioned).

Table 2

• Green living room?
• Market.
• Border area.
• Monumental properties.
• Green.
• Beautiful center.
• Easily accessible.
• Beautiful surroundings, coulisse countryside.
• Naoberschap.
• Many activities such as sports, marquee, fair, etc.
• Togetherness.
• Space.
• Border site.

As points of interest for the core qualities of Dinxperlo toward the future have been mentioned:

• Homes for the elderly.
• Center security.
• Preservation of monumental properties.
• Isolated location.
• Not a lot of greenery.

Table 3

• Border community (4x mentioned).
• Weekly market (mentioned twice).
• Commodity Market.
• Little church (mentioned twice).
• Livable core (mentioned twice).
• Integration, boundary experience (mentioned twice).
• Primary facilities.
• Folk character.
• Openness population.
• Focusing on German neighbors.
• Small, but everything is there.
• Green and living together.
• Small business owners, unique center.
• Conviviality (mentioned twice).
• Naoberschap (mentioned twice).
• Association life.

As points of interest for the core qualities of Dinxperlo toward the future have been mentioned:

• Maintaining retail supply.
• Security infrastructure.
• Association life.

Table 4

• Public openness.
• Cohesion, togetherness.
• Liveliness.
• Center, market.
• Livability, quality of life.
• Cooperation with Suderwick, festivities together.
• Easily accessible by public transportation.
• Bus connection to Doetinchem good though, runs every hour.
• Bus connection Dinxperlo-Bocholt also fine.

As points of interest for the core qualities of Dinxperlo toward the future have been mentioned:

• During the day still via neighborhood bus towards Aalten-Winterswijk, but not possible in the evening.
• Neighborhood Bus runs entirely on volunteers.
• Crumbling of welfare work (due to the ravine year).
• Aging population, loss of attractiveness to young people.
• Public transportation, accessibility.
• 1 neighborhood agent for up to 2 days/week.
• Disappearing stores, swimming pool? Health care?
• Not enough facilities for young people.
• Employment is disappointing.
• Little to do for young people. Figulus does not adequately address this.
• Lack of vibrancy for youth.

Table 5

• Achterhoek mentality.
• Germans.
• Border village, border region (4x mentioned).
• Lots of sports.
• Social Living.
• Convivial (mentioned twice).
• Small scale (mentioned twice).
• Safe.
• Unity, togetherness.
• Social cohesion with Germans.
• Natural, quiet environment (mentioned twice).
• Green character.
• Naoberschap.
• Cross-border activities.
• Association life.
• Store offerings.
• Furnishing the center.
• Proximity to outdoor area (mentioned twice).
• Sports facilities.
• Safety in general.
• Market (mentioned twice).
• Conserved, not so modern.
• Closed character residents.
• Hospitality, crafts, library.

As points of interest for the core qualities of Dinxperlo toward the future have been mentioned:

• Too few amenities.
• Amenity level.
• Tight labor market.
• Not enough catering.
• Store offerings.
• Imports from the West.
• Closed/closed village, westerners do not seem welcome.
• Not decisive.
• Aging, care supply.
• Mix of young and old.
• Preservation of green character.
• Keeping youth in the congregation, as well as the elderly.
• Activity, employment (mentioned twice).
• Broad education.
• Trees and biodiversity.
• Concerns about pool.
• Watching to become sleeping village.

Component 2: On the main topics toward the future 

Part 2 asked about the topics (themes) in the living environment that participants consider most important for Dinxperlo or for Aalten as a whole in the future. Participants were asked to indicate their own top 3 on a list of 24 topics in the living environment (ranging from noise, water, etc. to building, infrastructure, agriculture and nature). The results were as follows:

Table 1 (most often were mentioned, in order):

1. Basic social services (5x mentioned).
2. Livability and quality of life (mentioned 5x).
3. Housing and construction (3x mentioned).
4. Economy and employment (3x mentioned).

Table 2 (most often mentioned, in order):

1. Economy and employment (5x mentioned).
2. Livability and quality of life (4x mentioned).
3. Cultural heritage (3x mentioned).
4. Environment, noise, odor, booth, air quality (3x mentioned).

Table 3 (most often mentioned, in order):

1. Health, care and vitality (4x mentioned).
2. Housing and development (4x mentioned).
3. Social cohesion and participation (3x mentioned).

Table 4 (most often mentioned, in order):

1. Housing and construction (6x mentioned).
2. Basic social services (5x mentioned).
3. Health, care and vitality (4x mentioned).

Table 5 (most often mentioned, in order):

1. Health, care and vitality (4x mentioned).
2. Landscape quality and values (3x mentioned).
3. Safety and social security (3x mentioned).
4. Mobility and road safety (3x mentioned).

Component 3: What is and is not desirable toward the future

Strand 3 was concerned with how participants envision the desired living environment in 2040, and what they consider (along that line) desirable and undesirable developments toward the future. The results were as follows:

Table 1

For Aalten as a whole, desired:

• Not appointed.

For Aalten as a whole, undesirable:

• Not appointed.

Specific to Dinxperlo, desired:

• Ensuring that youth want and can continue to live in Dinxperlo.
• Housing for starters.
• Housing for 1 person, making family housing available.
• Improve public transportation (mentioned twice).
• Youth facilities.
• Entertainment for youth (and not just small children).
• Employment at all levels, Dinxperlo should also be attractive for higher educated people, for example,
• Preserving nature (mentioned twice).
• Attention to the elderly.
• Landscape, more greenery and trees (mentioned twice).
• More biodiversity.
• Landscape conservation.
• More green.
• Attention to participation.
• Attention to customization.
• Attention to safety.
• Safety center (busy with cars). Now unsafe for older children, cars do not drive 30 mph or less.
• Prune large trees better.
• Better public transportation, including towards Winterswijk.

Specific to Dinxperlo, undesirable:

• Noise and vibration from Aalten Road.
• Do not cut down healthy trees.
• Noise traffic Terborgseweg (mentioned twice).
• Noise curve Wendelenkamp.
• Noise traffic Beggelderdijk.
• Grass instead of shrubs or flowering plants (for insects); constant noise from lawnmowers etc. in summer.
• Make Wendelenkamp more traffic safe, there are no sidewalks.

Table 2

For Aalten as a whole, desired:

• Not appointed.

For Aalten as a whole, undesirable:

• Not appointed.

Specific to Dinxperlo, desired:

• More housing, but also preserving green space.
• More affordable housing.
• More things to do for young people (ages 12-20).
• Better rental policy in cooperation with De Woonplaats (and thereby also counteract neighborhood deterioration).
• Better management/management of downtown; beautiful, but already cluttered.
• Address vacant properties.
• Support entrepreneurs in remedying vacancy.
• Improved accessibility to the municipal office (no need to make an appointment).
• A healthy environment, even if that means windmills and less agriculture.
• Togetherness.
• More public furniture.
• Better maintenance of public green spaces.
• More greenery, but appropriate and good choice of trees (mentioned twice).
• Maintain balance residential/green space (native).
• When allocating housing, also look at ties to Dinxperlo (work, born etc.) (mentioned twice).
• Stick to low-rise buildings.
• Differentiated housing development.
• Pay attention to walking routes from neighborhood to downtown, including for people with walkers; pay attention to car parking.
• Ample shade provided by trees.
• Attention to supermarkets/traffic safety.
• Attention to accessibility and public transportation (5x mentioned).
• Better public transportation (preferably free).
• Good drinking water.
• Grant for the Kulturhus.
• Figulus for the elderly (mentioned twice).
• Attention to parking in the old neighborhoods.
• Sports hall more greenery and attention to facade.
• More art.
• Lookout tower old garbage dump.
• Attention to cross-border integration.
• Manufacturing industry (mentioned twice).
• Better connection to the industrial park.
• Maintain level of amenities.
• Address brand issues Euroregionally.
• Road safety in general.
• More attention to parking policy; people now have to walk on the street because cars park on the sidewalk, etc. (mentioned twice)

Specific to Dinxperlo, undesirable:

• Whiners and negativists.
• Windmills (mentioned twice).
• Solar Meadows.
• Nuclear power plant.
• Disposal of bulky waste now too expensive (mentioned twice).
• Wood burning in gardens.

Table 3

For Aalten as a whole, desired:

• Not appointed.

For Aalten as a whole, undesirable:

• Not appointed.

Specific to Dinxperlo, desired:

• New construction.
• Provide more flow-through opportunities (mentioned twice).
• New construction for young people.
• More generational housing.
• More 60+ homes.
• Protection and expansion of nature (mentioned twice).
• More green.
• 30 km/hour.
• Better accessibility.
• More bicycle and pedestrian paths.
• Improve bicycle network (Aaltenseweg).
• Better information around events.
• Being self-sufficient (stores, swimming pool, etc.) (mentioned twice).
• More supermarkets.
• More priority to own residents.
• More restriction of traffic.
• Continuing Education.
• Attention to accessibility regarding bypasses (mentioned twice).
• Retain amenities, such as public transportation, swimming pool, education (3x mentioned).
• Preservation of cultural heritage.
• Preservation of association life.
• Attention to the shopping area.
• In housing allocation policies (especially for social rentals) give space to local youth.
• Following the example of Lichtenvoorde: rent out vacant storefronts for 1 euro.
• Truck traffic over Anholtseweg, not through village/New Street.
• Attention to employment.
• Preservation of DNA of Dinxperlo.
• Keeping Dinxperlo livable, for every age.
• Building for the future.

Specific to Dinxperlo, undesirable:

• Baldwin facilities.
• High-rise.
• Youth outflow.
• Inflow of only people from outside.
• Cutting down trees.
• Disappearance of hospitality industry, crafts.
• Increase in building industry.
• Increased traffic in residential areas.
• Empty industrial sites (mentioned twice).
• Traffic.
• Truck traffic in the village.
• Social rent allocation system: more balanced distribution between imports and natives; opportunities for young people to live in their own core.
• Too many imports.
• Vacancy.
• Self-driving cars on thoroughfares.

Table 4

For Aalten as a whole, desired:

• Not appointed.

For Aalten as a whole, undesirable:

• Not appointed.

Specific to Dinxperlo, desired:

• More family doctors, dentists and schools.
• Making homes sustainable.
• Diversity of residents, equal.
• Exercise-friendly environment, for vitality.
• Attention to facilities such as doctor, dentist, home care, schools.
• A common area for young people with pinball machines etc. for entertainment.
• More variety in terms of sports facilities.
• Conservation of retail stock.
• Preserving Kulturhus.
• Conservation library.
• A supermarket within walker distance.
• Making residential splitting easier.
• Diversity in neighborhoods, dispersion.
• Better listening to residents when it comes to nuisance trees.
• More housing splits, scratchy neighborhood(s), including on former MAVO site.
• Increased use of solar panels and heat pumps.
• Not enough technical staff, so educate.
• Employment: keeps young people in Dinxperlo.
• Retain stores, for livability.

Specific to Dinxperlo, undesirable:

• Noise from heat pumps.
• Older people are not allowed to live together and therefore many people alone in a big house; also undermines caring for each other.
• Pressure for family physicians increases.
• Staff shortages in home care.

Table 5

For Aalten as a whole, desired:

• Not appointed.

For Aalten as a whole, undesirable:

• Not appointed.
   

Specific to Dinxperlo, desired:

• Residential rental corporation.
• More green space (5x mentioned) and better maintained.
• Solar panels, but as many as possible in the industrial park.
• Attention to accessibility.
• Better traffic flow in east.
• A fast charging station in parking lot Wilhelmina Street.
• Good public transportation (mentioned twice).
• Parking outside the village, connect with train.
• Parking lot.
• Retained school and sports.
• More biodiversity.

Specific to Dinxperlo, undesirable:

• Fill up all the green space.
• Loss of stores.
• Center is at risk.
• Industrial park expansion with heavy industry.
• Wind turbines and solar farms.
• Too much construction (houses) in the outlying area.
• Industry in the village.

Date of second interview

The second talk in and about Dinxperlo subarea will take place on:

• Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
• Time: 7:30-21:30 p.m.
• Location: Kulturhus Dinxperlo (Maurits Prinsstraat 6, Dinxperlo)

During the second meeting we will discuss specific issues, dilemmas and choices to be made, because we also have to take into account other government policies, legal and financial constraints, et cetera.
Hope to see you then!

This is the report of the second round of talks in and with Dinxperlo. In the first round of talks was. A total of about 20 people participated in the conversation. The conversation was guided by 2 employees of the municipality of Aalten.

Do you have any comments on this report? Please pass them on via omgevingsvisie@aalten.nl.
If you have any suggestions for the new environmental vision of the municipality of Aalten, please also use this e-mail address.

What was the purpose of this second conversation?

In the first round of interviews, we retrieved (1) what residents find typical about the subarea in question, (2) we retrieved what living environment topics are seen as important(st) toward 2040, and (3) we asked about desirable and undesirable developments toward 2040.

In this second round of interviews, we gathered opinions on the following themes:

• Greening the core
• Naoberschap
• Quality (impulse) in general

What were the outcomes of this second conversation?

Table 1, greening the core

• Green roofs
• Tile rocking
• No paving of front yards (no parking spaces in front yards, etc.)
• Choose native trees
• Involve citizens, e.g. planting in front gardens, etc.
• Good balance between greenery and stone
• Good ratio of high and low greenery
• Stronger and hardy greenery
• Disconnecting rainwater (every drop into the ground)
• Encourage more greenery by government (planting actions, etc.)
• Park cars around the core and then use freed up space for (more) green space
• In internal construction, prioritize green space (car second)
• Replant lawns etc. with plantings that grow in the region (use old photos for comparison)
• Counteracting desiccation
• No one-way traffic to gain green space
• Smaller greenings, no large forests etc.
• Between sidewalks and roads more bushes etc.

Table 2, greening the core

• Don't build up all the greenery; also look at vacant properties (conversion)
• Paving tiles, facilitating for residents
• Car-free center
• Make some streets one-way, to gain space for greenery, but also for safety
• Complexi, here many agricultural vehicles, driving too fast, unsafe (also near school etc.)
• Concentrate on public space(s), in several places already sufficient greenery
• More trees here and there, more grass, etc. (make roads narrower if necessary), but make sure there is adequate parking and loading space
• Wendelenkamp. Aaldersbeeklaan, lots of grass, shrubs, etc. gone.
• More biodiversity, more shrubs and bushes
• Greening roofs (industry)
• Trees at blue lake / other places
• Keep truck traffic out of village, including agricultural traffic
• Accelerate introduction of 30 km/hour
• More one-way traffic to gain space for green space (3x mentioned)
• Create more places for small parks with play areas, etc.
• Introduce tile tax (must direct municipality)
• More greenery in downtown
• Listening better to complaints about green space
• Clean up junk from trees more often
• Terborgseweg, a lot of grass has been laid in recent years, at the expense of low (flowering) bushes etc. resulting in less biodiversity, more noise from lawnmowers etc.
• It would be best to plant more trees in the downtown area
• Not taking away what is there (from trees, etc.)
• Encourage residents to exchange tiles, etc. for greenery
• Reduce traffic through the village as much as possible, leaving more space for greenery
• More greenery and trees along streets
• Green belt around village instead of residential areas
• Private green space may be difficult to enforce, but a tree plan seems like a good thing to me
• Maximize green space in public places, utilize every square foot, but allow for walkers etc.
   

Table 1, naobility

• Getting Figulus welfare more involved
• Promoting "know your neighbors"
• All sorts of things are organized and we should continue to do so
• Soup is not eaten so hot; naoberschap is and remains OK
• No lack of meeting places etc., there are; but how do you activate people?
• Strengthen involvement in neighborhood(s), encourage joint activities
• Ensure sufficient and good meeting places, including for associations

Table 2, naobility

• More awareness/support of volunteers, plus more structure in so many organizations (can municipality help with this?)
• Neighborhood Making
• Humanitas, volunteers only, always need more
• Bring more structure to volunteerism, board plus sign-up opportunity
• Provide opportunities to knock on doors for help
• Meeting places important, such as library (mentioned twice)
• Repair service
• Beware of government exempting care
• More activities in the neighborhood itself
• Better information about activities for young people
• Where will the fairgrounds be?
• Doing more with social media to reach young people (as well as immigrants)
• Youth center as in Ulft
• Encouraging residential forms
• Promote activities such as neighborhood day
• Are there any elder advisors at the municipality?
• Walk-in opportunities for the young and elderly
• In Aalten, a courtyard was built where people MUST look out for each other; idea for Dinxperlo?
• Setting up precautionary circles
• Supporting associations
• Maintain facilities such as Kulturhus and library
• More parties for young people
• Organize more (sort of) tournaments, etc.
• People who were born here and have lived here for a long time have a larger network; "imports" in need of help are going to have a hard time
• Association life is crucial
• Personal physical assistance will be hardest to fill in

Table 1, (impulse) quality in general

• Public transportation (mentioned twice) and shared cars
• Green roofs, tile seesaws, etc.
• More one-way traffic to gain space for green space
• More green
• Safety (especially traffic)
• Housing for the elderly
• Livability for young families, social housing, as well as senior housing
• More middle class
• Social housing
• Investing in transportation
• Maintaining amenities (including cross-border)
• Ample and diverse housing
• Accessibility, public transportation

Table 2, (impulse) quality in general

Did not get around to it

How to move forward?

After the second round of meetings we will describe all input (including policies of other governments, etc.) into one integral, coherent and as concrete as possible concept/proposal for an environmental vision, in which for Aalten as a whole but also for the individual subareas is indicated what the desired and undesired developments are towards 2040 and (in outline) how we want to realize the desired living environment in 2040. With this concept/proposal we will first return to the subareas in a third and final round, asking: What do you think? Only then will we take the draft environmental vision to the city council.

Note: This third and final round of environmental vision talks will take place in June 2025. Further notification on this will follow.