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VOICE-OVER: The Sand Motor along the coast of South Holland
has been opened to the public.
State Secretary Atsma was one of the first to take a look.
STATE SECRETARY ATSMA (SPEAKS DUTCH): It's extraordinary
to be standing here on a new piece of the Netherlands.
Nine months ago, this was part of the sea
and now we're six metres above sea level.
VOICE-OVER: The Sand Motor is a new method
of making the Dutch coast safer. State Secretary Atsma is examining
whether there are more places along the Dutch coast
where land can be created with this technique.
In recent months, 21.5 million cubic metres of sand
have been deposited off the coast between Kijkduin and Ter Heijde,
resulting in an area the size of about 250 football fields.
Over the years, wind and water will spread the Sand Motor towards the coast.
The land on the coast will therefore remain protected.
This building with nature has to prove to be an environmentally friendly
and inexpensive way of strengthening the coastline.
It's an alternative to the yearly replenishments of sand.
The cost of the Sand Motor, 70 million euro, will then be recovered.
STATE SECRETARY ATSMA: Yes, if you see the average price of sand
and how much we have to bring to the coast each year,
then you know for certain that this saves money
and that makes it worthwhile.
Not only are we planning to work with nature,
but if it can also bring money in instead of costing us,
then that is very interesting for the Dutch.
And not just the Dutch,
there's also a lot of interest in this project internationally.
VOICE-OVER: And while protecting the Dutch coast
the Sand Motor's new-found land
is a great location for leisure in all seasons.