Reception of asylum seekers

Why are these three locations being considered?

In February 2026, the city council established guidelines that a shelter must meet. 

Ten potential locations, spread throughout the municipality, were evaluated against these criteria. Based on that evaluation, three locations remained: ’t Walfort, Kriegerdreef , and Eerste Broekdijk 71.

The follow-up studies should clarify what is needed at each location to make sheltering possible. Among other things, they will examine whether the necessary power supply can be arranged.

Are the locations suitable for childcare?

That has not yet been definitively determined. Studies and further consultation should provide more clarity on this matter. Among other things, the necessary facilities and practical feasibility will be examined. The feasibility of securing the necessary power supply will also be investigated.

Does the municipality own the properties?

No, the municipality does not own the three locations. The owners have been informed about the potential shelter. The municipality will continue to consult with them in the coming period.

Why is the municipality announcing the potential locations already?

The studies of the three locations have not yet been completed. Nevertheless, we are announcing the locations now. This way, residents will know which locations are being studied and can share their knowledge, concerns, and ideas.

The insights of local residents are particularly important. They know their neighborhood well and can point out issues that do not always come to light in a study.

Will one location be chosen, or could there be two?

The city council’s guidelines allow for childcare at a single location with 200 spots or at two locations with 100 spots each. Three potential locations are under consideration. A decision on which location or locations will be chosen has not yet been made. The mayor and aldermen will make the final decision based on the results of the study and input from residents. In doing so, they will also take into account the wishes and concerns of the city council.

What does a shelter mean for the neighborhood?

A reception center can have an impact on the surrounding area. Consider, for example, traffic and accessibility, as well as the use of the surrounding area and local amenities. Exactly what this means varies by location. The municipality and the COA are assessing what is needed at each location to make the shelter operation possible. At this time, it is not yet clear what the impacts will be or whether any measures are necessary. That is why we are asking residents and nearby residents to share their knowledge of the neighborhood, any concerns, and their ideas. We will take this information into account in our further assessment of the locations.

What has already been decided?

• The municipality of Aalten has a legal obligation to assist in the reception of asylum seekers.
• There are three potential locations under consideration: ’t Walfort, Kriegerdreef , and Eerste Broekdijk 71.
• The shelter is initially temporary, for five years.
• The City Council will ultimately decide where the shelter spaces will be established.

What hasn't been decided yet?

• At which locations will childcare centers be established?
• What is needed at each location to make childcare possible there.
• What facilities, measures, and agreements are needed for the shelter and its surroundings.

Can I vote at a polling place?

No, there will be no vote in which residents choose a location. However, through November 10, you can submit comments, requests, and ideas for each location. These might include accessibility, traffic conditions, characteristics of the surrounding area, or planned developments in the neighborhood. Any local knowledge that could be relevant to the final location selection is welcome.

Who will be invited to the interviews?

In November, local residents will be invited to a meeting to discuss the potential location in their area.

What happens to my contribution?

The municipality is collecting the responses and will take them into account in its further investigation. In December, the results of the investigation and a summary of residents’ input will be presented to the city council. The executive committee will take the results of the investigation, the input, and any wishes or concerns expressed by the council into account when making its final decision.

What happens next?

All input from residents is shared (anonymously) with the city council. The findings of the study conducted by the municipality and the COA are also presented to the council. The council may convey its wishes and concerns to the mayor and aldermen. The mayor and aldermen take the study’s findings, residents’ input, and the council’s wishes and concerns into account when making their final decision.

Will my input be shared in full with the city council?

Yes. We previously indicated that a summary of residents’ input would be shared with the city council. That has been revised: all resident input will be shared (anonymously) with the city council. The council will receive this input along with the research findings from the municipality and the COA.

Is this my last chance to share my opinion?

No. You can submit your concerns, requests, and ideas on this page through November 10. Local residents will still have the opportunity to share their concerns during the meetings.

Later, the city council will discuss the results of the study and residents’ input during a public meeting. During that meeting, residents will also have the opportunity to address the council. This means you can share your opinions and concerns at various points throughout the process.

Can local residents still have a say after the location has been chosen?

Once the decision on the location has been made, further consultation with local residents will take place. This will involve further details regarding the facility and issues of concern for the surrounding area.

How did the municipality determine who received an invitation to the meetings?

The municipality has invited residents who live in the immediate vicinity of a potential shelter location. In addition, homes in the neighborhood that lie along the expected walking route between the potential shelter location and the city center have also been included. The location of individual homes was taken into account. Therefore, this does not apply to all homes on a particular street.

The invitation letter for the drop-in sessions lists street names in order to divide the invitees into groups with different visit times. As a result, you may live on a street listed in the letter but not have received an invitation yourself.

Why is childcare necessary?

Like other municipalities in the Netherlands, the municipality of Aalten has a legal obligation under the Distribution Act to contribute to the reception of asylum seekers.

The municipality of Aalten currently has a target of 200 shelter spots. A new target will be set in early 2027, which must be met by July 1, 2027. The municipality of Aalten is expected to provide shelter for 143 asylum seekers starting in July 2027.

How long does childcare last?

The city council has established a framework stipulating that the shelter will initially be temporary, for a period of five years. The city council recognizes that future developments may affect the situation at that time.

Does the municipality make money from housing asylum seekers?

No, the municipality does not make money from providing shelter to asylum seekers. The COA pays for the shelter. Municipalities receive only a modest reimbursement for, for example, asylum seekers’ school-age children. However, the municipality may incur costs for, for example, security measures outside the shelter.

What happens if the municipality fails to provide childcare?

The municipality of Aalten is under active supervision by the ministry because we have not yet met our legal obligation to provide asylum shelter. If we fail to provide shelter, the national government may intervene. The national government can then designate a location itself and arrange for the shelter. The costs of this will be borne entirely by the municipality. This is a significant difference from the current situation, in which the COA covers the costs of the shelter.

Why don't we build housing for our own residents instead of shelters for asylum seekers?

We understand that residents are concerned about finding a place to live. There is also a need for housing in the municipality of Aalten, and the municipality is working on plans for new housing.

At the same time, under the Distribution Act, the municipality has a legal obligation to contribute to the accommodation of asylum seekers. The city council has established a framework stipulating that this accommodation must not come at the expense of existing housing construction plans or the existing housing stock. The three potential accommodation sites comply with this framework.

The municipality is therefore working on both tasks: building homes and providing shelter for asylum seekers.

What is the difference between asylum seekers, recognized refugees, and Ukrainian displaced persons?

Asylum seekers are people who have applied for protection in the Netherlands and are awaiting a decision on their asylum application.

Status holders are people who have been granted a residence permit because they need protection. They are allowed to remain in the Netherlands and must transition from temporary shelter to permanent housing.

Ukrainian displaced persons are people who have fled Ukraine because of the war and are eligible for temporary protection under a separate European program.

These are, therefore, different groups, each with different rights and regulations regarding reception and residence.

Who will be accommodated at a facility in the future?

The potential shelter locations in Aalten are intended to house asylum seekers: people who have applied for protection in the Netherlands and are awaiting a decision on their asylum application.

It is not yet known which asylum seekers will be staying at a potential reception center. The COA is responsible for the reception. We are therefore unable to comment at this time on the exact composition of the group of residents.

1. The statutory target set by the Distribution Act regarding the number of childcare slots to be created serves as the starting point. The corresponding allocation decision in effect stipulates that the municipality of Aalten must create 200 childcare slots.
2. In accordance with Article 3.1 of the Spreading Act, the shelter will initially operate for a period of 5 years. As a result, it is classified as a permanent shelter. At the same time, the organizers recognize that future developments may affect the situation at that time.
3. The principle of small-scale operations must be applied. In practical terms, this means that reception facilities may consist of either two sites with 100 places each or a single site with 200 places. If two sites are chosen, preference should be given to distributing them across the entire municipality of Aalten.
4. The care facilities should preferably be filled in phases. This allows the immediate community time to adjust, and experiences from previous phases can be taken into account in subsequent phases.
5. The type(s) of care and the proposed location(s) must be appropriate to the size, character, and capacity of the municipality and the community. The applicants recognize that this is a subjective framework. This framework is intended to mean the following: The location(s) may be adjacent to the built-up area, outside the built-up area, or possibly at an acceptable site within an industrial park. When searching for suitable location(s), the impact on the surrounding area and the immediate living environment is explicitly taken into account.
6. A reception center must not be established at the expense of existing housing development plans. According to the initiators, these existing housing development plans include Singel 1 and 2 in Aalten, ’t Broock in Bredevoort, and ’t Beggelder in Dinxperlo. Furthermore, all environmental plans currently under review as of the reference date of February 18, 2026, are considered to fall under this category.
7. The accommodation of asylum seekers should not come at the expense of the existing housing stock.
8. The hamlet of Barlo should be spared when it comes to accommodating asylum seekers. In this regard, the zoning plan outlined in the Omgevingsvisie will Omgevingsvisie the boundaries of this hamlet. Barlo has already made its contribution to accommodating asylum seekers in the past. We believe that other towns and neighborhoods should now take responsibility for this new task.
9. The plan must be organizationally and financially feasible, with a clear division of responsibilities between the COA and the municipality. In principle, the reception of asylum seekers will be budget-neutral, as promised by the COA. This does not apply to framework 13.
10. The municipality of Aalten should be relieved of as many responsibilities as possible by the COA in the areas of service provision and support.
11. Primary health care should be organized by the COA. This can take place both at and outside the reception center(s).
12. The COA must develop a robust security plan to ensure safety within the reception center(s).
13. A comprehensive safety plan must be developed with as many stakeholders as possible to ensure safety outside the reception facility or facilities. Although the organizers do not assume in advance that problems will arise, concerns have indeed been expressed within the community regarding safety and the speed with which the government will act if something does happen. To listen to our residents and address these concerns, we want to investigate how additional permanent surveillance can be organized for the immediate vicinity, at least for the initial period.
14. Locations that house clubs should be excluded from the creation of temporary shelters. This is to prevent clubs and/or their activities from having to cease.

You can watch a recording of the meeting in question. Agenda Aalten - City Council: Assessment and decision-making regarding asylum seeker center (AZC) guidelines Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 7:30 PM – 11:00 PM – iBabs Public Portal You can also use the same link to view the meeting documents, including the written public comments.
The municipal council’s guidelines form the basis for the next step: identifying and developing suitable reception locations.

As soon as there is more clarity regarding potential locations, local residents and other stakeholders will be informed and consulted.