This is what the Environment and Planning Act means for your business

The Environment and Planning Act applies to all changes residents and businesses want to make in their surroundings. Examples can include activities like installing dormer windows, building a tower block, renovating a windmill, or opening a new shop.

What can you arrange via the Environment and Planning Portal?

You can use the Environment and Planning Portal (Omgevingsloket in Dutch) to check which rules and regulations apply to your project. You can also use it to apply for the permits required for your project.

The requirements for applying for a permit vary across the Netherlands. Each municipality has its own environment plan. This sets out all the rules and regulations concerning, among other things, building and renovation work, the environment and tree felling that apply within that municipality.

At the portal, in addition to the environment plan, you will also find the Environmental Activities Decree (Besluit Activiteiten Leefomgeving in Dutch), as well as the water board regulations, and provincial regulations. As a business owner, for example, you are obliged to check these plans to see if any environmental regulations apply.

If you have a plan, check immediately at the Omgevingsloket to see which rules you must comply with. Do not wait too long to do this. That way, you will avoid surprises, such as delays, rejection or a fine.

What is the permit check?

The Omgevingsloket has a Vergunningcheck tool (‘Permit Check’). This allows you to check whether you need one or more permits for your plan. Please note: you must notify the authorities in advance of certain activities, even if they do not require a permit. You can also use the Permit Check to find this out.

Sometimes the municipality stipulates that ‘participation’ (participatie) is mandatory. This means you must contact people in the vicinity who will be affected by your project in advance. Talk to people in the neighbourhood or businesses in the area. When applying, you must demonstrate that you have engaged in participation and what the outcome of that engagement is.

Even if participation is not mandatory, you can discuss your plans in advance with the people who will be affected. This reduces the likelihood that those affected will raise objections or lodge an appeal against your permit later. They are entitled to do so within 6 weeks of the decision being published.

Read the latest information

Do you need to submit an application for the new Environment and Planning Act? Find the latest English-language information on Business.gov.nl and on the IPLO website.