Environmental permit applications

The environmental permit gives permission in the areas of housing, space, environment and nature. You may need an environmental permit for various activities. Among others for:

• build
• demolish
• fell trees
• Constructing a driveway or exit driveway
• restore, remodel or demolish a monument
• advertise

There are 2 procedures with the environmental permit. The regular procedure applies to an ordinary environmental permit. Does your permit request have a high risk for the environment? Then the extensive procedure applies. Do you want to change something on a national monument? Then the extensive procedure may apply. Some activities have also been designated by the council for the extensive procedure.  

You do not need a permit for some activities. For example, consider construction activities such as:

• A partition between balconies or roof terraces.
• Awnings or shutters.
• Dormers and outbuildings on the rear of a building or on a side not facing the public area, provided 1 meter behind the front facade line.
• You (almost) always need a permit to install an air conditioning unit.

Do your plans not fit into the municipality's environmental plan? Do you want to deviate from it? Then apply for an environmental permit for an "out-of-plan environmental plan activity" (BOPA).

Environmental counter consultation hours

If you have any questions, please visit the Heerlen Environmental Counter on Thursdays from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 16:00 to 18:00. Please make an appointment.
We will help you with the first steps you need to take.
You cannot come to the consultation hour if you have already submitted an application for an environmental permit.  

Your plan must comply with all legal rules and requirements. Think for example of technical regulations, regulations from the environmental plan and the requirement that the appearance must fit within the environment. Does your plan require a deviation from the environmental plan? If so, your plan must not be detrimental to the designated function in an area. For example, if you want to build a commercial building in a residential area, it must not result in less residential enjoyment for local residents.

Ordinary procedure: you get the decision within 8 weeks. Failing that? Then the municipality may extend this period once by 6 weeks.

Extended procedure: you get the decision within 6 months. Failing that? Then the municipality may extend this period by 6 weeks.

When you apply for an environmental permit, we process it in the portal jeleefomgeving.nl. There you will find all the information about your application in one place. 

Is there a new message or update for you? Then you will receive an e-mail from noreply@jeleefomgeving.nl at your own e-mail address. This keeps you informed and allows you to respond in a timely manner if needed.

Follow your case

How does it work?

• If you apply for a permit, you will receive a message from the email address noreply@jeleefomgeving.nl
• That e-mail is notification that a message from the Municipality of Heerlen is waiting for you in your message box on jeleefomgeving.nl.
• In that email is a "View your message" button. If you click that, you will see your email address already known to the municipality.
• Then click log in.
• Then a login code will be sent to your e-mail address. You must enter that code. After that, click "log in" again.
• Then you have access to your message box on jeleefomgeving.nl.
• After logging in, you will see your recent posts on the left and your recent cases on the right. This way you can easily track your case. 
• Each time a new message is ready for you in your message box, you will receive an email notification from noreply@jeleefomgeving.nl at the email address you provided. 

In a regular procedure, you file an objection with the municipality. In an extensive procedure, you give your opinion (view) on the draft decision.

Do this within 6 weeks. After that, do you disagree? Then you can appeal to the court. You may be able to appeal afterwards.

Is there no response within the 6-week appeal period? Then the permit is final.

Provide all data as complete as possible.