Marleen de Bie, who runs a sheep-grazing business with her daughter in the IJmond region, faces a €30,000 penalty from the municipality of Uitgeest over tunnel shelters at her meadow in Klein Dorregeest. She said she had overlooked the need for a permit after moving the business from Heemskerk to Uitgeest in 2023, and that paying the penalty or removing the shelters could threaten the care of her flock and the survival of her company. The business manages about 750 sheep for the municipalities of Heemskerk and Beverwijk, and also grazes parts of Velsen-Noord and Uitgeest.

The municipality said it has a legal duty to act when violations of the environmental plan are identified. The deadline for demolishing the shelters was postponed from the end of 2026 to 1 June 2027. After questions about the case, De Bie was invited to meet with the municipality.