Participation in the Environment Act
Participation: joining in the discussion and contributing ideas
The Environment Act encourages you to be approached more actively and at an earlier stage to contribute ideas about new plans in your neighborhood. How this happens may vary.
In a number of situations, you are required to consult with local residents and stakeholders. You must always do this before submitting your plans. You must draw up a report on these consultations and submit it together with your permit application. Your application will not be processed without this report.
Checklist for a report
The ODR website provides tips on how to consult with those around you. You will also find a checklist for a report there. Fill this in and submit it with your permit application.
Participation is mandatory in the following situations
1. Living
- Adding 5 or more dwellings within the built-up area;
- Adding a residential building with more than three stories;
- Adding or building one or more homes outside the built-up area.
2 Hospitality and retail:
- Establishing, changing, or expanding hospitality or retail businesses outside built-up areas;
- Establishing, changing, or expanding hospitality businesses within built-up areas.
3 Sports, social activities, and recreation:
- The realization of large-scale social facilities (such as MFAs);
- The creation of sports infrastructure, including sports parks and sports halls;
- All projects for intensive day and residential recreation, including the associated facilities, such as recreation areas and campsites.
4 Companies
- Establishing, changing, or expanding a business outside of a business park;
- The establishment, modification, or expansion of all companies with environmental category 3 or higher.
5 Agricultural
- The establishment, alteration, or expansion of an agricultural building area exceeding 2 hectares.
6 Renewable energy
- The construction of one or more wind turbines;
- The realization of a solar park of at least 1 hectare;
- The generation and/or storage of other forms of energy, with the exception of the generation and storage of energy for a single dwelling.
7 Infrastructure and utilities
- The realization of large-scale above-ground and underground infrastructure (engineering structures).
8 Large-scale earthmoving
- Large-scale earthmoving as referred to in the policy framework for large-scale earthmoving adopted by the council.
9 Sensitive topics
- If, in the opinion of the board, there is social unrest or other politically sensitive initiatives.