Project Description

Estate De Denneboom covers a monumental villa from 1854, a historic farmhouse and a vast nature reserve of approximately 21 hectares. The historic farmhouse ‘De Dennenboomsche Hoeve’ serves as a meeting place for visitors, but is not profitable. That’s why the estate’s manager, Thom van Rijckevorsel, has created a new destination for the estate: a funeral centre with a natural cemetery.

Problem

The idea for a natural cemetery was born in 2015. But the more solid the idea became, the greater the counter-effect. People living near the estate took their case before the Council of State to put an end to the redevelopment plan. The financier of the crematorium backed out. And the bank ended the payment delay and issued a notice of foreclosure. Everything turned against Thom van Rijckevorsel. At the beginning of 2019 ECOintention was approached to make a change.

Solution

In consultation with Thom van Rijckevorsel, the following objectives were drawn up:

to strive for a vital, healthy energy on the estate;
to ensure the smooth implementation of the re-development plan in order to make the estate profitable;
to aim for the partial exploitation of the estate by a funeral home for the development of a natural cemetery and crematorium with a designated meadow to scatter ashes;
By mid-2019, the energetic process of change was started by Nils Tabois and Willem Vlasveld.

Result

At first Thom van Rijckevorsel was skeptical about the process, but as the change process took shape he became more and more enthusiastic about the results.

The results at a glance:

  • in August 2019, the atmosphere on the estate changed radically thanks to the positive effect of the ECOintention method; the closed, distressing energy was removed, paving the way for healthy, revitalised energy;
  • in September 2019, the case brought to the Council of State by neighbouring residents was decided in favor of Thom van Rijckevorsel: all objections were dismissed;
  • at the very last moment, the foreclosure of the estate was fended off by the bank;
  • and a new operator was found with well-funded redevelopment plans,
  • not long after, the municipality gave the green light for the realisation of the redevelopment plan;
  • Thom van Rijckevorsel was able to look forward to the future with confidence.