All stakeholders have been heard and their input resulted into minor changes to the original design. On 17th February 2005 there was a last design review with the people from the Water Board. The remarks from that meeting have been appreciated. The Water Board is now busy describing the specifications. The contracts must be ready in the summer. After the holiday season a tender will be put out.
In the polder Bleiswijk the Water Board works on water based transformation of the area, The change of current land use towards multi-functional use is the objective to improve the water management of the polder. The widened canal will be multi-functional towards recreation (canoeing, boating), nature (ecological embankments), landscape, water management and water quality.
In March the Water Board submitted a request for exemption of the zone plan with the municipality of Bergschenhoek. The official period for enquiry has expired and there are no objections that will result in delay. Paralel to that the other obligatory inquiries (with respect to nature and non exploded ammunition, the archeological research, the geotechnical and geohydrolic research) were made.
It is inevitable that the measures of the Water Board will have an influence on the flora and fauna in the area. The designated project area houses protected species. In order to minimise the effects of the measures the Water Board conducted a so-called nature test (Natuurtoets). The results can be found in a fat report with directives on how to minimise the damage. Although limited damage to the fauna cannot be prevented, the measures will not lead to extinction of any of the species
Execution of the plan is expected to start at the beginning of 2006.
