Construction projects and infrastructural projects in Drenthe do not appear to be in immediate danger due to the ruling of the highest court that from now on nitrogen emissions during construction must also be calculated. The Council of State this morning ended the so-called construction exemption. Construction companies fear delays and higher costs.
The province has yet to map out exactly for which projects the ruling will have consequences, but at first sight the consequences seem limited, according to deputy Hans Kuipers. “This is a huge downer for anyone who wants to start a project soon, but if I look at which projects we would soon be licensing, the consequences for Drenthe are not too bad.” He does not mention specific projects.
The statement didn’t really come as a surprise. “Project developers and initiators are already prepared to make new calculations, show the effect on nature and do a new assessment. Major project developers are already working with consultancies that calculate nitrogen emissions. Emissions during construction are part of that. coming to now.”
The Asser district of Kloosterveen will be expanded with a total of 2,500 homes. The first phase of 500 homes is already under construction. Construction can continue as usual, according to alderman Cor Staal. “We have a nature permit for Kloosterveen. We have taken into account the nitrogen emissions during construction. So there are no direct consequences for the construction.”
The following phases are also not at risk. “We are now preparing the next phase of 500 to 750 homes, and we actually already took into account that we also had to calculate the emissions during construction. We will also have to do that in the subsequent phase,” says Steel.
And other projects in Assen are not immediately in trouble. “It leads to extra research in the initial phase. We are not yet ready for the permit process for the Havenkwartier and there is enough time to do the calculations,” says Staal.
Construction companies fear delays and higher costs because they now also have to include nitrogen emissions during construction. “We have yet to look at it precisely, but we are working on a number of projects where the building permit is still pending or still to be applied for, and that will mean a significant delay and an increase in costs,” says director Henk ten Brink, director of Bouwmij Hendriks. in Assen.
Ten Brink calls it yet another setback for the construction sector. His construction workers may be temporarily unable to do anything because of the ruling. “We’re already dealing with the war, the high energy prices and supply problems, so I can imagine that everyone is upset about this. It means that you can only start projects at a later date and then we will get the boys to work during that time have to keep.”
In practical terms, reducing emissions during construction in Kloosterveen has proved feasible, says Staal. “Kloosterveen is close to the Fochteloërveen and a lot of driving has to be done in the preparation phase. Emissions were taken into account in the tender. We said that the groundwork should be done by electric tractors precisely because we are here with such a sensitive area, so you can already take that into account in your performance.”