Work on listed buildings that does not require planning permission

Owners of a listed building, a municipal monument or a property within a protected town or village conservation area who wish to refurbish, convert, extend or demolish their property will usually need an environmental permit. Below is a description, by type of property, of the works for which you do not (or do) require an environmental permit, including some examples.

Take a look on the map or on the list of listed buildings whether your property is a listed building and/or is situated within a conservation area.

National and local heritage sites

In the case of a listed building, it is not only the exterior that is protected. The interior, later extensions and structures on the site are also covered by the protection. An environmental permit is usually required for the refurbishment, conversion or (partial) demolition of a listed building. This may be an environmental permit for the activity ‘construction’, for the activity ‘alteration of a listed building’, or for both activities. For the sake of clarity, we will not elaborate further on this distinction. A planning permission requirement does not apply in all cases. The legislation is complex. You should therefore carry out the Planning Permission Check on the national Environment counter to check whether you need a planning permission for your plans. See the ‘Planning Permission Check’ section below for further information.

Dormer windows, skylights, solar panels on the roof, alterations to window frames, alterations to the façade and sun blinds always require planning permission if they are installed on the front façade or front roof surface, and also require planning permission on the side and rear façades if heritage values are at stake (which is usually the case). The construction of extensions, annexes, outbuildings, sheds and canopies on a plot of land where a listed building is situated always requires planning permission. Garden furniture, a single flagpole up to 6 m high, and boundary fences up to 1 m high (and up to 2 m high behind the front façade) do not require planning permission. However, please note: in areas designated as ‘Rijksbeschermde gezichten’ (nationally protected areas), this DOES require planning permission.

Routine maintenance

You do not require a planning permission for routine maintenance work where the detailing, profiling, design, type of material and colour remain unchanged. This also applies to a listed garden where the layout remains unchanged. Maintenance work is aimed at preserving what is already there. There must be a technical necessity for replacing or repairing materials on a limited scale.

Interior alterations

You do not need a planning permission to alter interior features that do not have heritage value. This alteration must be carried out without any demolition or structural work to the building’s shell; otherwise, a planning permission is required.

A few examples of maintenance and building works that do not require planning permission.

• Repairing plasterwork in specific areas
• Repair masonry locally using the same type of joint and jointing mortar
• Repainting a house in the same colour without removing the old layers of paint
• Local repairs to window frames, windows and doors
• Replacing damaged tiles or slates in specific areas
• Carry out localised repairs to leaking gutters and downpipes
• Maintenance of paths where the type of surfacing does not change
• Removing recently installed partition walls or suspended ceilings made, for example, of hardboard, softboard, plasterboard or plastic
• Removing a 30-year-old staircase or plastering recently erected internal walls
• Replacing a modern kitchen, bathroom fittings or central heating system

Examples of works requiring an environmental planning permission.

• Applying a completely new layer of plaster
• Repainting in a different colour
• Completely renew the grouting
• Replacing windows, window frames and doors (even if the materials and design remain the same)
• Completely re-roofing with tiles or slates
• Replace all gutters and downpipes
• Completely resurface the path (even if the material and shape remain the same)
• Restoring interior features of heritage value, such as stucco ceilings, historic wall coverings or fireplaces
• Removing or restoring underlying historical panelling, wallpaper or paintings
• Modernising the original kitchen or the bathroom facilities dating from the time of construction or from a significant later phase of building work

Nationally protected town and village views

The nationally protected town and village landscapes in Apeldoorn are: De Parken, Hoog Soeren and Radio Kootwijk.

In nationally protected town and village landscapes, you require an environmental planning permission for the total or partial demolition of a building, as the demolition of a building may impair the historic character of the town or village landscape. We only permit complete demolition if the new development is guaranteed to be in keeping with the character of the protected area. We are keen to preserve buildings that are defining features of a protected area. In the case of complete demolition, you must also submit a structural report to demonstrate that the structural condition of the building is such that demolition is justified.

You will usually need an environmental permit for building works. Building works on the front and side roof surfaces, and on the front and side façades, always require a permit. Building in the front and side gardens always requires a permit. This therefore also applies to boundary fences.

In the following cases, you may not need a permit. However, the legislation is complex. You should therefore carry out the Permit Check on the national Environment counter to check whether you need a planning permission for your plans. See the ‘Planning Permission Check’ section below for further information.

• In the case of routine maintenance where the detailing, profiling and design remain unchanged.
• For building work carried out inside a building, provided that it meets the requirements for building work not requiring a planning permission.
• In the event of alterations (such as a dormer window, skylight, solar panel or window frame modification) to the rear roof surface and rear façade (provided these meet the requirements for building without planning permission).
• Outbuildings, extensions and canopies that both comply with the local planning scheme and are situated directly behind the house (i.e. within the imaginary line extending from the side walls of the original dwelling, see the illustration below) and meet the requirements for permit-free construction of standard structures.

Municipally protected town and village views

The town or village views protected by the municipality are: Indische buurt, Wiesel and Metaalbuurt. Since 7 November 2024, the following have been added: Kerschoten Reconstruction Area, De Wiekelaar Housing Estate, De Zeis-De Haarhamer Housing Estate, Housing Estate with staggered houses (Gruttersdreef and Looiersdreef), the residential area with staggered houses (Rietdekkersdreef), the white houses of the Klokkengietershoeve, the residential area with drive-in houses (De Maten) and the residential area with drive-in houses (Zevenhuizen).

As with nationally protected townscapes, you require an environmental permit for the total or partial demolition of a building, as the demolition of a building may adversely affect the historic character of the town or village landscape. We only permit complete demolition if the new development is guaranteed to be in keeping with the character of the protected area. We are keen to preserve buildings that are defining features of a protected area. In the case of complete demolition, you must also submit a structural report to demonstrate that the structural condition of the building is such that demolition is justified.

In town and village settings protected at local authority level, building works are more often exempt from planning permission than in settings protected at national level. There are more options for works exempt from planning permission, for example, for a shed, a fence and a dormer window of a certain size and in a specific location.

The legislation is complex. You should therefore carry out the Permit Check on the national Environment counter to check whether you need a planning permission for your plans. See ‘Planning Permission Check’ below for more information.

Permit check

At the national level Environment counter You can carry out the planning permission check to determine whether you need planning permission for your project. The Planning Permission Check is part of the Omgevingsloket. By following a series of questions, you can check whether you are allowed to carry out your plans at the chosen location without needing planning permission, or whether you do need to apply for one.

Click on the ‘Planning Permission Check’ tab. In the planning permission check, first enter the address where you wish to build. Next, select the relevant activity. You can do this by entering a keyword. You will then be directed to a set of questions. Answer these questions. Once you have completed all the questions, the conclusions will be summarised in an ‘Omgevingsloket Action List’.

Further instructions can be found on the webpage Building, refurbishing and renovating under ‘Licence Check’.

Are you having trouble? If so, please feel free to contact with us.