The implementation of the Environment and Planning Act is again postponed. This environmental law must regulate all legislation in the field of spatial planning and environmental permits.
Minister Hugo de Jonge (Public Housing and Spatial Planning, CDA) announced the postponement on Tuesday in letters to the Senate and House of Representatives. As a result, the Environment and Planning Act has been postponed for the third time in two years. According to De Jonge, introduction from July this year is irresponsible because in practice the services to citizens and the business community could be endangered.
De Jonge thus deviates from the policy of his predecessor, then minister Kajsa Ollongren (Internal Affairs, D66). Until just before she left the ministry, last December, she insisted on rapid implementation, despite the risks of chaos and yet another ICT drama. Originally, De Jonge also seemed to want a quick introduction, his official top said internally after the first introductory talks with the new minister. But after follow-up consultations with representatives of municipalities and provinces (VNG and IPO) and the software suppliers involved, he has now decided to postpone it.
Also read: The Environment Act is a potential stumbling block for Minister De Jonge
Digital database
On Monday, those software suppliers informed De Jonge that the digital processes for the implementation of the law are still far from in order. The biggest stumbling block is the national digital database. Thousands of articles of law and ministerial regulations have been merged into the new law. To make this possible, local rules and zoning plans must be linked to that national database, the so-called DSO. In practice – municipalities and provinces have been running tests with this new system for more than a year – the software of the various systems appears to be unable to communicate with each other sufficiently. The database that must support everything has become a fragmentary repository of information, as it was previously referred to in documents from the consultation between municipalities and the ministry.
De Jonge confirms in his letter to both Houses that the digital systems are not yet in order: “More time is needed to practice properly. At the moment this is not possible with all systems.”
De Jonge does not specify when the law can be introduced: immediately after the summer in October, or only next January. The House of Representatives has already approved the new law. The Senate will only agree if it is clear that the law is also valid in practice.
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