Real estate: zoning plan

Is it allowed to establish business premises at a certain location or is it just a residential area? What is the permissible height of a building and are there any more conditions regarding construction or use? In the Netherlands, all these things can be found in a zoning plan. In a zoning plan, a certain purpose is assigned to plots of land and rules are set regarding the use of buildings on these plots.

The use determines the function of a plot of land in the zoning plan. The function determines what can be done with the ground. For instance, a building can be attributed the function residential, or a number of plots of land can be labelled as shopping or catering area.

Elements of the zoning plan
A zoning plan consists of three different elements, namely

  1. Image: a map of the zoning plan. The map displays the different purposes of the plots of lands and buildings.
  2. Rules: regulations regarding the purpose, the development potential and the use.
  3. Explanation: explanations of the use and the justification of the choices made by the municipality.

Would you like to know whether you are allowed to build on a certain plot or what conditions the buildings have to meet? This can be found in the zoning plan at the municipality. Zoning plans are drafted in the Dutch language. We can assist you in finding the applicable zoning plan and will gladly provide you with an explanation of the included rules.

More information
This newsletter provides a brief insight into Dutch real estate law and the potential consequences for your Embassy. But the Embassy desk of our firm also focuses on:

  • Employment law / Labour law
  • Rent law
  • Investment / Doing business in the Netherlands
  • Matrimonial issues
  • Immunity issuesYnze Kliphuis provides legal assistance to ambassades, consulates, foreign companies and individuals in real estate and lease matters and in disputes involving zoning plans, construction projects and permits.

Ynze Kliphuis,
Real estate lawyer of Embassy Desk