Municipality Restores the Village Church Bell to Working Order
The municipality of Voorschoten has decided to adjust the Dorpskerk’s clock to make it quieter, so that it can ring again in the evening and at night. This will happen shortly. In the meantime, the municipality is investigating whether the clock can be made quieter at night than during the day. It is also considering the possibility of including an exception in the environmental plan.
In late April, the municipality decided to turn off the hourly chimes of the Dorpskerk bell between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. The municipality took this action in response to complaints about noise pollution. The West-Holland Environmental Agency determined that the noise level did indeed exceed the permitted limit.
Considering other measures
“As long as we didn’t take any measures, we were facing a fine,” explains Councilman Hubert Schokker. “Because we comply with the standards and there was no quick alternative, we decided at the time to turn off the hourly chimes in the evening and at night. Other municipalities also opted for that solution. But in the meantime, we’ve been able to consider other measures. Given how much residents value the clock, we’d like to find an even better solution, while taking the complaints just as seriously.”
Cultural and Historical Significance
In the short term, the municipality will have the clock strike more softly on a permanent basis. In the meantime, it is investigating whether the clock can be made to sound softer only at night, for example by using a smaller second bell. Another possible solution is to amend the zoning plan. Based on the carillon’s cultural and historical significance, an exception to the noise standard could be made in the plan for the carillon, the hourly chimes, and the ringing of the bells. However, this is a lengthy process, and the outcome is not yet certain.