Nieuwe Pekela to close temporary asylum seeker shelter on September 14

The municipality of Pekela will end its temporary nighttime shelter for asylum seekers at Holland Marsh on September 14. Since early July, the facility has served as overflow accommodation for the Westerwolde municipality, specifically assisting those who could not find lodging at the Ter Apel registration center.

The shelter accommodated a group of up to eighty people, who were transported to Nieuwe Pekela by bus each evening and returned the following morning. While no incidents involving the asylum seekers were reported, local residents at the Holland Marsh business park expressed dissatisfaction regarding noise from security and buses, as well as a feeling of being caught off guard by the facility's sudden arrival.

Mayor Jaap Kuin acknowledged that the communication and implementation process should have been handled differently and offered apologies to the community. Following the closure, another northern municipality is expected to take over the overflow responsibilities. The municipality plans to investigate using the building for temporary staff housing during the renovation of the Pekela town hall.