If you require a planning permission for building works, the building plans will be assessed against reasonable aesthetic standards.
Well-being
The Environmental Quality Committee assesses aesthetic aspects on the basis of the Building Regulations Policy (pdf, 4 MB). In the case of building plans involving listed buildings, landmark and characteristic properties, and within a protected town or village centre or a cultural-historical area, the Environmental Quality Committee also assesses the cultural-historical aspects.
If you do not need planning permission for your renovation, then no building regulations apply either. However, we are happy to provide you with inspiration and tips. Please see the Cookbooks from Apeldoorn.
Planning criteria for common structures
Clear planning criteria (quick-assessment criteria) have been set out for common minor building works such as outbuildings, dormer windows and advertising displays. This allows you to see immediately whether your building plans meet the planning requirements. These criteria can be found in Appendix A of the Building Regulations (PDF, 4 MB).
The shortcut criteria do not apply to listed buildings, landmark and characteristic properties, or properties located within a protected town or village centre or a cultural heritage area. In such cases, the Environmental Quality Committee applies a bespoke approach.
Specific structure
For renovation projects that do not fit within standard building regulations, and for larger construction projects, there are too many different scenarios to be able to specify in advance exactly what is and is not permitted. For this reason, objectives have been set for each neighbourhood, village or area, and your application must comply with these. You can find the objectives in Appendix B of the Building Regulations (PDF, 4 MB).
Apeldoorn Council is happy to help you ensure your building plans are in keeping with the local area. The guidelines have been developed for this purpose.
Here you will find background information about the area where you live or work, along with some good examples of renovation projects. We recommend that you use the tips and recommendations from the guides when designing your building. However, this is not compulsory.
In addition to the cookbooks, interested readers will also find a wealth of background information in the visual quality plans and cultural-historical analyses.
The Environmental Quality Committee advises on whether applications for planning permission (building and development) meet the requirements of the Building Regulations. The Environmental Quality Committee comprises a Sub-committee on Prominent Plans and a Sub-committee on Heritage, and consists of independent experts in architecture, urban planning, landscape, cultural history and quality of life.
The committee’s recommendation is forwarded to the Municipal Executive. The Municipal Executive then decides whether to grant an environmental permit. A favourable recommendation from the Environmental Quality Committee is a prerequisite for the granting of an environmental permit.
Sometimes the committee has questions about the plans or sees other possible solutions; in such cases, you may be invited to attend.
The meetings of the Environmental Quality Committee are open to the public.
The Municipality of Apeldoorn is committed to ensuring a high quality of the built environment. This means that areas must be safe and liveable. Some areas are particularly important in this regard. In these so-called prominent areas, the Municipality of Apeldoorn is striving to achieve an even higher quality of the built environment. Three types of areas can be distinguished in this context.
- Apeldoorn’s identity-defining features: these are areas that are characteristic of the municipality of Apeldoorn and which we must protect. They are often already areas of high quality, and we would like to keep it that way. Examples include listed cultural heritage sites, streams and springs, as well as nature reserves and parks.
- High-visibility locations: these are areas that attract large numbers of residents and visitors and are clearly visible. In many places, the quality could be improved. Examples include locations visible from the motorway and the ring road. Busy public spaces, such as the town centre and the theatre, also fall into this category.
- Dynamic areas: these are the areas where significant development is expected. Adding value is easiest when areas are undergoing development. Examples include the city centre and the canal zone.
You can see on the map whether your application is located in a prominent area. The prominent areas are shown in blue on the map. Tip: if you enter the location of your application in the search bar at the top, you will immediately see whether your application is located in a blue area.
A visual quality plan is usually drawn up for the redevelopment of an entire area, such as Zuidbroek or Zonnehoeve. These development-oriented visual quality plans describe the design of the new development area and contain the urban planning criteria (mandatory) required to develop the new area. A visual quality plan replaces the Building Regulations.
Maintaining, restoring, improving the sustainability of, and adapting a building of cultural and historical value requires specific knowledge and skills. The design and execution of work on a listed building are best carried out by specialists. Apeldoorn Council can assist you with this.