Netherlands surveys Soesterberg asylum centre safety as Rijnsaterwoude residents warn against a large new AZC

In Soesterberg, the research firm Bureau Beke has been commissioned by the Central Agency for Asylum Seekers (COA) to survey 313 local residents and businesses about safety, noise, traffic, and public order around the AZC Kampweg, which opened in 2022 and will operate until May 2028. The questionnaire also asks about experiences with drug or alcohol use and perceptions of police presence. Results and recommendations are expected in an end‑year report.

Meanwhile, the municipalities of Kaag en Braassem and Nieuwkoop are preparing a feasibility study for a new asylum‑seeker centre on the Kerkweg in Rijnsaterwoude, intended to accommodate 367 asylum seekers. Villagers, a community of about 1,250 people, have expressed strong concerns over the scale of the project, limited local facilities, traffic safety and isolation. One resident said, “367 asylum seekers at a village of 1 250 is a mismatch.” The council’s plan has prompted heightened local opposition.

Both initiatives reflect ongoing debates in the Netherlands over the capacity, location, and community impact of asylum‑seeker accommodation.