Explore your project idea

If you want to change something about your house, garden, or business, you can submit an application via the Environment Desk. You can also do the Permit Check to see if you need a permit or only need to submit a notification. You can submit this notification or permit application directly via the Environment Desk. If you have any questions about the Environment Desk, please contact our Front Office for Spatial Planning by calling 14 0511. 

It is also possible that you have an idea for a project, but are not yet ready to apply for a permit. You want to explore your idea first. Or you have a plan but you want to discuss the possibilities before developing it further. And would you first like to ask the municipality about the possibilities? Then submit your project idea via the online form at the top of this page.   

We would like to talk to you as early as possible in the process. This way, it will quickly become clear to you what is and is not possible, and you can adjust your project idea accordingly. This way you can save costs and time. We would like to receive the following with your concept request: 

• Completed form about your project idea (required) 
• Map or site plan of the existing situation (required) 
• Map or site plan of the future situation (required)  
• Photos of the current situation (optional) 
• Substantiation or motivation as an attachment (optional) 
• Report of consultation/participation (optional) 
• Other attachment(s) (optional)  

This way, we can help you think about achieving your goal and provide you with appropriate advice.

We have various frameworks, such as the environmental vision, policy visions and the environmental plan. We expect you as the initiator to investigate this yourself. We have listed the policy for you on the policy frameworks page. In addition, the environmental plan is available on het Omgevingsloket.

It is possible that you have a project idea that does not fit within one of the policy frameworks, but that the project idea does contribute to other policy objectives. After careful consideration, this may give us reason to deviate from that one policy framework. It is also possible that there are already plans to change the policy and that your project idea fits in well with this. It is always important to clearly indicate what you want to achieve with your project idea, how it contributes to the policy objectives of the municipality and why it is good to deviate from certain frameworks. 

First, we ask you to provide us with a clear project proposal (see: 'How detailed should my project proposal be?'). You are also responsible for involving local residents and your surroundings. This is called participation. To help you with this, we have created a participation policy and guide [link to the page]. Later in the process, the case manager will clearly indicate what else is needed. For example, which studies you need to conduct to make your project idea possible with a permit or amendment to the environmental plan. Once it is clear how you can make your project idea possible, you must submit an application with the final plan via the Omgevingsloket (Environmental Counter). 

All project proposals are processed in the order they are received. Professionals often have complex projects. Upon receipt, we assess whether the project proposal is complex or simple. Complex project proposals follow a more extensive route than simpler ones. The complex case manager handles these complex project proposals. 

If you have a detailed plan, you can submit a concept request (the new term for principle request and preliminary consultation) via the Omgevingsloket. Do you have a plan and would you first like to discuss the possibilities before you elaborate it further? Then you can submit your project idea via the online form on our website. 

The executive board and the council are responsible for amending and establishing new planning and policy frameworks. Planning frameworks include the environmental vision and the environmental plan. Policy frameworks include the economic affairs policy plan or the sustainability agenda. The council does not have to make a decision on initiatives that fall within these frameworks. This saves a lot of time. 

Yes, that's possible. If you would like to explain your project idea in a conversation, you can indicate this when submitting your project idea.  

Only complex project ideas are discussed at the intake table. These are project ideas that do not fit within the planning frameworks and/or policy. These project ideas may also be politically sensitive. Simple project ideas do not need to be discussed in detail and we can handle them more quickly. At the intake table, it is discussed which points of attention are important in the handling of the project idea and which complex case manager will handle the project idea. After this, the complex case manager will contact you. Subsequently, the case manager will request advice from the various advisors. 

After that, the complex case manager will contact you about the follow-up, including organizing a neighborhood meeting. 

The municipality will assess whether your project idea fits within the planning or policy frameworks. If it does not fit directly, but does after a number of adjustments, then it is a 'yes, provided that'. We will work together to see how we can make your project idea possible. It may be that the 'provided that' is so significant for you that you can no longer or do not want to realize the project idea. If it is immediately clear that it does not fit, it is immediately a 'no'.  

If it's a 'no,' the case manager will first contact you by phone to explain the reasons. It will then become clear why your project idea does not fit within the framework. The case manager will also inform you that we do not see any possibilities to make your project idea possible in the desired location. If you then get an idea for a completely different project idea that does fit within the framework or can be made suitable, you can also submit it to us via the form.  

The complex case manager, in consultation with you, will organize a stakeholder meeting for your complex project idea. The stakeholder meeting will include the complex case manager, you as the initiator, various municipal advisors, and potentially chain partners such as the province and FUMO. During the stakeholder meeting, it will become clear how the project idea can be adjusted to make it feasible. At the table, we carefully weigh the interests. In this process, it is possible that one particular policy principle may be considered less important than another. The outcomes of the stakeholder meeting will be recorded in a report. 

The environmental table takes place weekly on Thursday mornings.  

Do you have questions about submitting your project idea? Please contact us on 14 0511. Once you have submitted a project idea, it will be linked to a case manager. This will be your contact person for the entire process.  

The case manager is your point of contact. They will help you navigate your project idea smoothly through the procedure. The case manager ensures a careful consideration of interests and policy principles together with the advisors. If necessary, the case manager will coordinate your project idea with the portfolio holder. The case manager directs and monitors the progress of the municipal steps. 

Some project ideas require a lot of time from the initial concept to the procedural stage. If the policy changes before you have initiated the procedure for your initiative, it may have consequences for your initiative. In that case, it is a good idea to consult with your case manager to see what adjustments can be made to still implement the initiative. 

You are responsible for this yourself. Would you like to organize a meeting? Then you can invite us to be present and possibly explain the policy/vision during the meeting. You can discuss this with your case manager. 

As the initiator, you are responsible for involving local residents and the surrounding area. As soon as the executive board and/or council make a decision about your final application, they will also consider your participation process, the outcomes, and what you have done with them. 

You can submit your final application via the Omgevingsloket. This will remain the case under the new Environment Act (January 1, 2024). It makes no difference whether your initiative requires a permit or an amendment to the zoning plan. 

What you need to provide depends on the complexity of your request. In the preliminary phase, when discussing your project idea or concept request, we indicated what is important for your request, such as an archaeological survey. The Omgevingsloket (Environmental Portal) also specifies what you need to do to submit a complete application.  

The municipality does not create or amend a zoning plan itself. For this, you can hire an agency later in the process (after consultations with the local advisory group(s)). The agency can prepare an amendment to the zoning plan according to our handbook. This way, it aligns as closely as possible with the municipality's existing zoning plan. You must then submit an application with the amendment to the zoning plan. The council will make a decision on the requested amendment. 

Under the Environment Act, the permit granting period has been shortened to 8 weeks. At the moment, we do not yet know how it will go. We will be working towards a smooth permit process in the coming period. For this, we are dependent on the available capacity and a smooth Digital System Environment Act (DSO). Within our possibilities, we will do everything we can to make a decision on permit applications within 8 weeks. More will be known about the developments in the autumn of 2024.