The new regulations are not only affecting farmers, but also builders and developers
The Dutch government has announced stricter measures against nitrogen emissions, which have significant consequences for the management of farm land. In the last month, farmers have, therefore, massively rebelled in many places throughout the Netherlands.
Less known is that construction companies in the Netherlands also have to deal with stricter rules for nitrogen emissions. In Assen alone, around 160 projects are affected by the new tightened rules: this is apparent from an inventory by the municipality of Assen, reports the AsserCourant.
The changes concern both large and smaller projects. For example, the development of a new ‘Kloosterakker Asser housing plan’ has come to a halt. It concerns 500 homes in the new-built neighborhood Kloosterveen, both in the owner-occupied and rental sectors.
Kloosterakker is of great importance for the further growth of the capital of Drenthe and is needed so that the city can meet the rapidly growing demand for houses, also from the city of Groningen.
Assen has the ‘misfortune’ that it is surrounded by three nitrogen-sensitive nature reserves, and anti-nitrogen measures are extra strict for such areas.
The municipality of Assen does not want to delay construction projects unnecessarily
The starting point of the municipality is not to unnecessarily delay or lock projects. It also remains to be seen whether all 160 projects mentioned are actually affected by the new rules, according to an explanation for the municipal council.
“The list is a rough estimate and contains a great deal of uncertainty, because national developments follow each other at a rapid pace,” says the mayor and aldermen of Assen.
Image: the Kloosterveste in Assen, being constructed in 2009. Image via Panoramio user jhut1995. License here
