What's coming soon?
For everyone
People visiting PaanZEE without a car are just as important to us. That is why we’ll submit a license application to the Municipality of Castricum mid-July 2018, for the replacement of the existing warehouses at Castricum aan Zee. We want to create a new bicycle / moped storage with charging points for e-bikes, lockers as well as a bicycle rental. This way everyone can fully relax offline at PaanZEE!
PaanZEE Lighting
We’ll install bat and bird-friendly LED lighting on and around PaanZEE. Taking into account the color of the light; green LED lighting fits best in nature and also ensures optimal visibility. The luminaires provide virtually no stray light and are made from recyclable materials.
Short-term parking=
Pay when you leave for your actual parking time.
In July 2017, we submitted our application for the permit for short-term parking to the Castricum Municipality. As soon as the permit is granted, we can set up our parking lot in a way that we can offer short-term parking.
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*UPDATE ON STAKEHOLDER REACTIONS APRIL 2021
As we mentioned in our previous update, we have been talking to a large group of stakeholders about the plan to make the car park more sustainable, to increase the bicycle/scooter parking area, the positive impact of Back to Nature and the building of short stay parking.
The responses are mostly positive. People understand the importance of the greater good and they are happy that these facilities are being created. We are also receiving a lot of support to make it clear to the Government that this plan is very much needed and is highly important for the area’s nature. There are also a few entities who see obstacles. We will enter into further discussion with them to explain the plan in greater depth and to find common ground.
In a nutshell, a good and constructive feedback. We will of course report back to the Municipality and the Province and make it clear that the ideas also reflect the wishes of others.
*UPDATE ON SHORT AND SUSTAINABLE PARKING APRIL 2021
We are slowly but surely making progress in achieving our mission to provide sustainable parking and recreation in Castricum aan Zee. We are seeing that more and more people and organisations are really becoming aware that we all need to act differently in transport, recreation on the beach and reducing CO2 emissions in our vulnerable natural areas. The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic also show that we have an increasing need to be outside, to cycle, to move and to get some fresh air. For us, this is all the more reason to manage all the visits to the car park and bicycle parking!
We had already merged these sustainability and capacity changes into a new layout and system in our 2019 Back to Nature plan. We worked out solutions for flexible short stay parking, more bicycle and scooter parking capacity (guarded and unguarded) and other facilities. We are currently sharing the plans with various stakeholders to see what still needs to be included or optimised.
It remains difficult to pass through the gates of officialdom. The outstanding original permit applications to modify the car park to accommodate short stay parking and to replace the sheds/bicycle parking facilities have been put on hold by the Municipality. The amended permit application is ready and we will submit it as soon as we have the Province’s official approval. The Province is taking a very long time to actually sign the documentation. It apparently does not see the need that we see every day. In the meantime, it is becoming increasingly difficult to enable visitors to safely and quickly park their cars, bicycles and e-bikes. It is incomprehensible to us that the Municipality does not seize this sustainability plan involving short stay parking with both hands. The plan will eventually return 16,000 m2 to nature. Similarly, while the Government has a sustainability policy (RES, Climate Agreement 2030), by not supporting this plan, it is not living up to its policy. We will continue our work and keep you informed.
*UPDATE SHORT AND SUSTAINABLE PARKING NOVEMBER 2020
We have not been idle. In our mission to build short stay and sustainable parking facilities, we are putting our energy into going through all the formal steps in the process. Although the plan is well received, we see that the official formalisation process is unfortunately very slow. We recently shared our Back to Nature plan with the Municipality and showed them what short stay parking, among other things, would be like. The next step is to get it processed.
However, the Province has still not signed this sustainable plan, although signing it was part of the agreement. We had expected that the positive impact of Back to Nature would be received with open arms, but unfortunately we see that bureaucracy is taking over. So it looks like it will be even longer before we can start building adequate bicycle parking facilities, green charging stations and short stay parking. We seriously wonder how green governments really want to be in reality. We will keep you posted.
*UPDATE SHORT AND SUSTAINABLE PARKING JUNE 2020
Things are really moving along! We are close to a solution to make short stay parking and Back to Nature possible. The plan was submitted last year and we expect the Province/PWN to formalise it in July. Then we can finally start working on building the short stay parking and achieving our Back to Nature plan. The plan includes the expansion of the bicycle parking and bicycle facilities (charging station, lockers, happy rent, etc.). If we can manage it, we will immediately submit the permit application in July and hope to be able to start work in the winter. We will keep you posted! On to fully emission-free parking in 2030!
*update short and sustainable parking March 2020:
Good news! Last week we finally had a joint consultation with county Noord-Holland and PWN. Mid-April we will have a follow-up with these parties where they will give us some concrete input about the formal handling from their side. We finally can move forward with our plans (that we applied for last year in June), to realize short and sustainable parking. It has been indicated that there is an official agreement, but that formal approval still needs to be formalized. We keep you posted!
*UPDATE SHORT PARKING FEBRUARY 2020
Still no formal approval for our new plan. We wait, wait, phone, and again wait. Do governments actually want sustainability and a short stay parking solution? Progress here is not being made and emissions continue to rise, while our Green Hub with its solar energy, substantially more charging stations for zero-emission vehicles, charging stations for E-bikes, etc. has long been ready. We have a mission: Back to Nature with only zero emission vehicles by 2030!
*UPDATE SHORT PARKING JULY 2019
Our alternative plan is ready!
After the municipality refused to cooperate with our previous plan due to complex procedures, this should be it.
What exactly does the plan entail?
To make ‘short stay parking’ (which we all want!) possible, we have to separate the traffic flows, create more exits and give up around 175 parking spaces. As far as we are concerned, we can finally get to work!
It is good to know that this sustainable plan will not affect the Natura2000 area. We have also improved the waste transfer system and placed it in a more convenient position, added solar panels and many more electric charging points, made pay as you go parking possible by changing the infrastructure, and added automation equipment.
What is even more interesting is that we are also taking a step into the future and are thus ensuring even greater sustainability. Research by organisations such as KPMG, the Dutch Ministry of Transport and the Dutch Knowledge Institute for Mobility Policy, shows strong developments in the field of self-driving cars. This will eventually significantly reduce the parking pressure, so that the car park can then be made smaller. We have incorporated this into the Back to Nature programme in which we will return parts of the site back to nature.
PaanZEE Back to Nature plan
We have submitted the plan to the Province and PWN for approval. After their approval the plan will be submitted to the Municipality so that the permit procedure can finally start. We hope to quickly start with the introduction of the Short-stay Parking, the ‘Green Hub’ and our Back to Nature programme! We will keep you posted.
* UPDATE JUNE 2019:
As you know, PaanZEE wants to realize "short-term parking" just as bad as you do. However, we cannot achieve this alone. Last winter we worked hard on an alternative plan because our earlier application encountered resistance at the Municipality, due to Natura2000 and the associated procedure. Although that plan is by far the best when it comes to safety and nature would be more than sufficiently compensated, we have now made an alternative plan that remains entirely outside Natura2000.
Unfortunately we have lost a lot of time because of this. We are now completing our plan, after which we will bring this alternative and sustainable plan into procedure. We're hoping for green light from all stakeholders, so that short-term parking can finally be introduced next winter!
*UPDATE SHORT STAY PARKING NOVEMBER 2018
An alternative site is currently being looked into for the infrastructure to be adapted. The great advantage here may be that this will avoid a number of procedural problems that are currently at play. We are disappointed with the progress so far, but after a recent conversation with the alderman we are now hopeful.
*UPDATE SHORT STAY PARKING OCTOBER 2018
We now have verbal permission from PWN to do the work. As soon as the formalities are over, we will submit the permit application to the Municipality of Castricum.
*UPDATE SHORT STAY PARKING OCTOBER 2018
We unfortunately do not yet have the green light on our permit application for short stay parking. A new Municipal Executive took office last year so our application is being reviewed and assessed again. We hope to get the approval soon so that we can start modifying the infrastructure to allow short stay parking and improve traffic routes safety.
Keep you posted!