First aid for participation

How significant will the consequences of your plan be for the people around you? Will only your immediate neighbors notice anything? Will the entire street notice anything? Or will your plans have an impact on the entire neighborhood or even beyond?

To determine how much participation is needed, we distinguish between three types of plans

• Plans with minor consequences for the environment.
• Plans with moderate impact on the environment.
• Plans with major consequences for the environment.

Examples of plans with minor consequences are

• Installing a dormer window or shed.
• Building a small extension to a house.
• A change of window frames or facades.
• Starting a small business at home, for example in the business or therapeutic field, or a bed and breakfast. 

Examples of plans with medium-scale consequences are

• The demolition or new construction of one or more homes.
• Starting a business where many people come by car.
• A change in the use of a building (for example, a gym, restaurant, or daycare center is being added, or a terrace is being added).
• Building an antenna mast.

Examples of plans with major consequences are

• A major change to a street, neighborhood, or district.
• The demolition or construction of many houses and/or buildings.
• The construction of a solar park.
• The organization of a major event. 

Please note: These are just a few examples. For every plan or initiative, the consequences for the environment must be considered.

Which participation approach suits your plan or initiative? Your approach must be proportionate to the impact your plan will have on the environment. In other words, the greater the impact, the more stakeholders and therefore the more people you should involve in your plan. We recommend a different approach for each type of plan:

Participation in plans with minor consequences

A plan with minor consequences is often only shared with a few people in the immediate vicinity. You can simply tell your neighbors, across the street and behind you, what you are planning to do. You can also send a short letter. For minor plans, it is usually sufficient to inform people, answer questions, and alleviate as many concerns as possible about privacy, greenery, and nuisance, for example.

Participation in plans with medium-scale consequences

A plan with medium-sized consequences should be shared with more people in the area. Sending or handing over a letter is usually sufficient. Ask stakeholders for feedback or advice if you can still adjust the plan to better align it with existing wishes and points of attention. Let people know what you have done with their feedback. For medium-sized and large plans, it is a good idea to also involve interest groups, such as a village interest group.

Participation in plans with major consequences

For large-scale plans, contact the municipality in good time. It is also a good idea to involve a village interest group. For large-scale plans, it is often wise to organize an information meeting. At this meeting, people can respond to your plan or give advice about it. Consider carefully whether you can improve your plan with the input of those involved.

What will you do with the results of the participation? It is important that you inform all stakeholders of the results and what you have done with the responses and advice. It is useful to write a report about this. In this report, you should include:

• Who you have involved.
• How and when you involved them.
• What you have done with the responses and advice.

Please note: You are not obliged to participate in so-called 'unplanned environmental planning activities'. These are activities that do not comply with local regulations and are not exempt from licensing. However, if you apply for a permit, you are obliged to indicate what you have done in terms of participation and what the results were. This also applies if you have not done anything in terms of participation. The municipality of Aalten considers it desirable that you involve the community in your plan or initiative at an early stage, but if you do not do so, this is not a reason to refuse a permit.

Once you have obtained your permit, you will naturally want to get started with your plan or initiative. Health you continue to communicate with all stakeholders during this phase. Inform them about the (construction) work and who they can contact if any nuisance occurs.

Please note: Even if you do not need a permit for your initiative, it is always a good idea to inform stakeholders. After all, everyone benefits from good relations with stakeholders. Take the installation of a heat pump, for example. By informing your neighbors, you can work together to find a suitable location for the outdoor unit to prevent noise pollution.

Health proper preparation

• Consultation with stakeholders at the location where the initiative will be implemented.
• Work with images: it's easier to participate when you know what the plan looks like.
• Have the participation process supervised by an experienced process supervisor if you are dealing with many participants and many interests.
• Have meetings facilitated by an experienced moderator if you find this difficult yourself.

Make the frameworks clear

• Make clear what the goal of your initiative is.
• Indicate what the parameters are: what has already been decided and what can the participants discuss?

Keep communicating

• Keep communicating throughout the process. Do so openly, honestly, and transparently. This means not only before applying for a permit, but also during the implementation of your initiative.
• Make a short and specific report of all conversations and meetings. When and where did it take place? Who was present? What was said? What were the concerns, objections, and solutions, if any? Also show what you did with the participants' input.

Do you have any questions or need help with participation? 

Please call 0543 49 33 33 or send an email togemeente@aalten.nl. 

We are happy to help you find the right solution!

When you apply for an environmental permit, the municipality will ask whether you have organized public participation. You must record this in a participation report. In the participation report, you describe how and when you organized participation. You indicate who you invited, who ultimately attended, what their responses were, and what you did with those responses. You attach this report to your application for an environmental permit.