Timely preparation by the Land Affairs department in the North Sea Canal Area
The various departments involved in the Hydrogen Network North Sea Canal Area project are hard at work, from the surveys at the location where the hydrogen pipeline will be laid to the engineers who are drawing up the detailed designs. At the same time, many people are working on the various permit applications, and the contractor is already considering how the work can best be carried out.
The Land Affairs department will also be busy in the coming months. Mark Berghuis, Land Affairs advisor for the Hydrogen Network North Sea Canal Area project, tells us what is involved in the preparations.
Agreements with landowners and plot owners
Now that the route of the hydrogen network in the North Sea Canal Area has been determined, agreements must be made with landowners and plot owners. Mark: ‘We cannot simply lay a pipeline in the ground without prior consultation and agreements. That’s why we are talking to landowners and plot owners about the construction of the pipeline.’
‘We will also inform them about what is and is not permitted once the pipeline is in the ground. For example, the area within five metres on either side of the pipeline is a safety zone. That means you can’t just do whatever you want or build something without consulting us first. All this information is set out in an agreement.’
Work sites
We also need to discuss and make agreements about the work sites that will be needed when we start laying the pipes. Mark: ‘Among other things, we’ll need workspace, materials, machines and work vehicles. These will have to be transported to the site via a construction road. The same applies to our employees. There is quite a lot involved, so we will be discussing this with those in the immediate vicinity at an early stage.’
Kilometre-long pipe
‘In some cases, we also need a lot of space before a pipe can be laid in the ground’, Mark continues. ‘When we drill the pipe into the ground using a special drilling technique, the pipe sometimes has to cover long distances. To do this, we first lay the pipe above ground in what are known as laying strips. These pipes have a diameter of around 60 centimetres and can easily be more than a kilometre long. Obviously, there needs to be enough space for this or else we have to create it. We always do that in close consultation with the local community.’
Good and timely preparation
The work is now becoming increasingly concrete, which means we have a better idea of how things will proceed in the future. Some people who live along the route or own land there will be significantly affected by the construction work.
Mark: ‘The first talks with these people have already been scheduled, and several employees from the Land Affairs department will be visiting them in the near future to provide those directly affected with timely and detailed information. We are laying around 20 kilometres of new pipeline, which will affect quite a few plots and properties. If you also take into account the laying strips, this work will affect quite a few people. We will certainly be busy with agreements and discussions in the coming year. The construction of the hydrogen pipeline will not be without its obstacles, so good and timely preparation is important. The better we think about the work now and make agreements, the better the work will go during the actual construction.’
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