Participation steps in environmental permit process

When applying for an environmental permit, the person with a plan or idea must indicate whether and how residents, businesses, civil society organizations and administrative bodies are involved in an application and what the results are. How the initiator involves others is up to him or her. The municipality of Kerkrade helps you on your way with this step-by-step plan for participation and provides guidance on how to involve your surroundings in your plan.

In general, the larger and more complex a plan is, the more impact the plan will have on the surrounding area and thus the more important it is to involve your surroundings. This has several advantages for you:

  • By involving your community in a plan, others are aware of what is going on, and possible concerns that may be at play about the plan can be addressed.
  • Involving others allows you to include good ideas or tips you receive from participants in the plan, and it also creates more neighborhood involvement.
  • When the environment is involved in a plan, it becomes clear whether or not there is support for the plan. This can also prevent possible objections.

The three categories of participation in environmental licensing

Assessment municipality

Participation does not mean that everyone has to agree with your plan. But it does ensure that stakeholders are aware of your plan. It can also ensure support for your plan. When you apply for an environmental permit, the municipality will look to see if and how you have handled involving the surrounding area.

The council is looking at the following issues:

  • Who did you involve in the plan?
  • How did you involve them in the plan?
  • What have you done with the results of participation?

As the initiator, you are responsible for implementing participation. Participation occurs before the official submission of the permit. The statutory viewpoint and objection/appeal procedure will not lapse. This possibility, in addition to involving the surrounding area, will remain. When stakeholders agree with your plan, it does not automatically mean that the municipality also approves the plan. The municipality assesses the permit application and weighs all interests to reach a decision. The municipality encourages participation because it contributes to proper consideration.

If no participation has taken place, this is not immediately a reason to refuse a permit application. This is the case if your plan falls under the activities for which participation is required, which are often "large plans. 

Kerkrade City Council has adopted a list of activities that determines in which cases participation is mandatory

What's in the participation report

When applying for an environmental permit, the person with a plan or idea must indicate whether and how residents, businesses, social organizations and administrative bodies are involved in an application and what the results are. How the initiator involves others is up to him or her.

You can use these questions to write a participation report. Attach the completed participation report to the application for an environmental permit or a request in principle.

  1. Description of your plan
  2. In your opinion, is this a small, medium or large plan?
  3. Who did you involve in your plan? E.g. your neighbors or the whole street
  4. How did you get them involved? (flyer, mail, letter, visited in person, information session, etc.)
  5. How did you share the plan with them? (made presentation, oral explanation, showed draft, wrote out plan, etc.)
  6. What did stakeholders think of your initiative? What were the interests, agreements and sticking points? Describe the agreements made.
  7. Did these responses result in modifications to your plan? If yes, what adjustments? If no, please explain why not.
  8. If you may have made adjustments to your plan, did you share the plan again with those involved? How was this responded to?

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