Construction activities and plants and animals

You want to build, renovate or demolish, insulate, cut down or create an exit. According to the permit check, it appears that you must contact the municipality about a flora and fauna activity. You must check whether your activity has consequences for plants or animals in the wild. You may need permission to get started. You request permission with your environmental permit.
  • A duty of care applies to all animal and plant species
  • The protection of plants and animals is regulated in the environmental code
  • House sparrows, swifts and bats are the most common protected animals in Hilversum
  • Protected animals may live in your building or on the construction site. For example in cavity walls, under roof tiles, in trees or in holes and crevices
  • It is forbidden to disturb, capture or kill protected animals. It is also forbidden to empty, remove or destroy their rest, residence and nesting places
  • Protected animals are mainly found in areas with lots of greenery and in houses built before 1990. But protected animals can also live in other areas and buildings
  • The nests of, for example, bats, house sparrows and swifts are always protected. Even if the animals are not nesting at the time of inspection. It is therefore possible that you do not immediately see or find protected animals, but still have to apply for permission to be able to get started
  • Habitat areas can also be protected. For example, the area where a protected animal searches for food. You must then also apply for permission to start construction activities
  • There may be protected plants growing around your building or on the construction site. It is prohibited to pick, prune or remove these. If there are protected plants, you must request permission before construction activities start

Effects

  • If you do not have permission under the Environmental Act, but you still start work, your construction activities will be halted
  • In addition, you may receive a fine and/or a ticket.
  • This can cost you a lot of money

Taking nature into account

  • The municipality urges you to take animals and plants into account in all construction and insulation projects, even if this is not mandatory. You do this by:
    • To determine which animals live in and around your home or building
    • Plan the work during the period when the animals are least vulnerable
    • Take measures to protect animals
  • Are you going to insulate? There is a national agreement to work according to the code of conduct for Nature-friendly Insulation. If you instruct a company that works according to this code of conduct to insulate a ground-level home in private ownership, you do not need to apply for an environmental permit. You will then not waste time and money on expensive ecological research. Look at www.natuurvriendisoleren.nl for insulation companies that work according to this code of conduct. As ground-level homes we also see so-called 'upstairs-downstairs homes' and split homes in a VVE

Op bouwaanhilversum.nl you can find this information about the most common protected animals in Hilversum: house sparrows, swifts and bats.

Involve the neighborhood (participation)

  • In Hilversum, the advice is to contact people who live in the area or are involved in another way (stakeholders) at an early stage. This is called participation
  • It can be residents who want to place a dormer window, but also companies that want to build a new residential area
  • Download the manual Involve the neighborhood (pdf, 256 kb) to find out what to do, or what may be asked of you when participating

Contact

  • If you have any questions, please contact the Nature, Landscape and Ecology advisors at 14 035 or through the contact form. 

What do you have to do

Checking the presence of protected species and habitat 

  • Before starting construction or insulation activities, check whether protected animals or plants live on the construction site. For example, do you see remains of nests, feathers or droppings? Then there may be animals present
  • If you have any doubts, you should hire a nature expert (ecologist) to do a study. Such a study is called an ecological quick scan
  • You can get to work if the quick scan shows that there are no protected animals or plants on the construction site
  • A good ecological quick scan is proof that you have done enough to investigate whether protected plants and animals are threatened
  • The ecological quick scan may not provide enough information. You must then have an extensive nature survey carried out by experts 

Check the consequences for species and habitat

  • If there are protected animals or plants on the construction site, you can only work if:
    • Your construction activities do not pose a risk to protected animals and plants
    • You carry out the construction activities in such a way that the plants and animals are not affected. For example, by waiting until the bird breeding season is over. This is called working according to the nature calendar
    • If this is not possible, you must request permission for your construction activities

Request permission

You must apply for permission if there are protected plants or animals on the construction site and you cannot start work without harming them. You can apply for permission via the Environment Desk.

Application via the Environment Desk

  • You request permission via the Environment counter† You need your DigiD or eHerkenning for this
  • Or you make the request in writing. In the Environment counter start the application and answer the questions. You can download, print and send the digital application form to the municipality by post. Send the completed application form with all requested documents to:  

Municipality of Hilversum  
Department of Permits, Safety and Administrative Affairs, Permits team
Postbus 9900  
1201 GM Hilversum

  • Do not put personal data on drawings, calculations or reports to protect your privacy  
  • You request your permission by adding a flora and fauna activity  
  • The municipality will receive your application and will request advice from the Noord-Holland Noord environmental service (OD NHN).
  • If OD NHN gives positive advice, you will be given permission. This is called advice and consent from the OD NHN on behalf of the province of North Holland  
  • Consent may be subject to conditions
  • If the protected plants and animals are threatened, then the permission will be refused. You may not carry out your construction activities

Send an application to the municipality via the Environment Desk:

  • Description of the actions you will perform
  • Purpose and value of the actions you will perform
  • For which protected species the permit is being requested
  • For which activities the permit is requested
  • Activity plan with area description, ecological area inventory, effect study, topographic map and substantiation of the value of the actions
  • If applicable:  
    • Description of measures to reduce the consequences of the construction activities (mitigating measures)
    • Description of measures to remedy the consequences (compensatory measures)
  • The application requirements for an environmental permit for Flora and Fauna activity are stated in the Environmental Regulations in section 7.2.1 and in article:
    • 7.197k to 7.197n when it comes to birds
    • 7.197o to 7.197qif it concerns species of the Habitats Directive and treaties
    • 7.197r when it comes to types of the Living Environment Activities Decree  

After your application Environment counter

  • After your request you will receive a confirmation email
  • We will only process your application once you have submitted all documents and data
  • We will process your request within 12 weeks. The municipality may extend this period once by a maximum of 1 weeks. You will receive an email if this is necessary
  • If your application is not complete, the municipality will send you an email to send you the missing information. The time you get for this does not count in the treatment period of 12 weeks
  • You will receive the decision by email. The decision will also be published on government.nl 

6 weeks of objection  

  • You and other people affected by the decision (interested parties) will have 6 weeks after the decision has been sent to object.   
  • As an applicant, you will be notified if there is an objection 

What does it cost

  • The costs for permission for a flora and fauna activity are € 151,35
  • You also pay fees if:
    • the permit is refused
    • the application will not be processed
    • you withdraw the application
  • An ecological quick scan costs approximately €850. Additional costs may be incurred for extensive research