Environment and planning permit: earth removal
Do you want to excavate soil from the land or in the water (earth removal)? You will usually need an environment and planning permit for earth removal.
Find out more or arrange now
at your municipality, province, or water authority
Excavation means work where you change something in the elevation of the terrain. Or whereby you lower the bottom of a body of water. For example, to:
- build roads or dig foundation pits
- extract raw materials
- structure the landscape
You need an environment and planning permit for most earth removal activities (ontgronden). Such as for excavations on land, in regional waters, or in the winter bed of national rivers.
Check if you need an environment and planning permit and apply
Go to the Environment and Planning Portal (Omgevingsloket, in Dutch) to check if you need an environment and planning permit (omgevingsvergunning). In the Omgevingsloket you can see which rules apply in your municipality, province, or regional water authority. You can then use the Omgevingsloket to apply online for an environment and planning permit or submit a notification.
Note that the rules from the General Municipal By-law (Algemene Plaatselijke Verordening, APV) may also be applicable.
What is not excavation?
The following activities do not fall under the definition of excavation:
- day-to-day activities in agriculture, horticulture, or forestry
- day-to-day maintenance work
- excavation, opening, and removal of graves
- soil drilling and probing
- excavation of soil in a soil depot
You may have to make a notification if you are planning any of the above activities. Check this in the Environment and Planning Portal (in Dutch).
Applying for compensation
Do you suffer damage because an earth removal permit has been granted, altered, or withdrawn? You may be eligible for compensation.