In North Brabant, no new permits will be issued for the time being for projects with nitrogen effects on Natura 2000 areas. That writes the province Wednesday in response to new analyses, which show that nature in North Brabant is deteriorating too fast. If this development continues, the province states, “we will get a total scaling of nature”.
According to the province, the existing measures are not sufficient to achieve the European nature objectives. Due to ‘acidification, eutrophication and desiccation’, plants, trees, insects, birds and other insects are disappearing from the Brabant nature reserves. That is why ‘additional measures’ are needed, says deputy Hagar Roijackers (Water, Nature and Area-oriented approach, GroenLinks). One is ‘reducing nitrogen deposition from sources outside the area’. According to the province, “more clarity is also needed nationally in the field of nitrogen, licensing and agriculture”.
With immediate effect, the province will no longer issue permits for infrastructure, agriculture, industry and sustainability projects that have nitrogen consequences for Natura 2000 areas. New housing projects with that effect that have not yet been licensed will also be put on hold. Projects without nitrogen emissions can continue. It is unclear how long the stop will last. According to the province, there are currently more than a hundred permit applications that cannot be granted for the time being due to the stop.