Roles and responsibilities of the ministry

Quality standards
The Ministry is responsible for setting basic quality standards that form the baseline for spatial planning which is largely devolved to provincial and municipal government. This concerns policy on urban concentration and location for new residential and commercial developments, and where possible in or adjacent to built-up areas and infrastructure. It involves balancing urban, rural and water management, environmental legislation, and safety. Basic quality standards are set for water areas, buffer zones and green spaces in and around urban areas.

Spatial policy within the Netherlands takes account of the international context and anticipates the impacts of these developments. Demand for space for economic activity depends on the international economic climate. For instance, the spatial requirements of the main ports of Rotterdam and Schiphol are largely determined by international factors. 

Furthermore, EU agreements and regulations have a bearing on spatial planning. The Netherlands has cooperation agreements with the neighbouring countries of Belgium, France and Germany on cross-border aspects of spatial planning such as nature areas and water systems.

The key policy portfolios are:
• National Spatial Planning
• Regional Development
• Living Environment

Policy on the spatial development of the Netherlands is set out in the National Planning Strategy. Adopted by the Dutch Parliament, this document presents the strategy to 2020, and the long-term strategy for the period from 2020 to 2030. The National Spatial Strategy aims to create space to meet the economic and social demands for land sustainably and efficiently, and to safeguard and improve the living environment in urban and rural areas.

The National Spatial Strategy presents a nationwide vision on spatial planning together with an implementation agenda. This agenda includes investment priorities for the national government and the framework in form and substance for implementation.

The roles and responsibilities of nation, regional and municipal government are set out in the Spatial Planning Act of 2008. The Act provides ample scope for the participation of non-government organisations, the private sector and the citizens. It guarantees national planning goals and interests are taken into account in local land-use plans, zoning plans and structural visions prepared by the provinces, for instance that sufficient land area is set aside for flood control and water management.

Under the Act, provincial authorities are required to be proactive in indicating which provincial interests need to be safeguarded in local land-use planning. However, municipalities are not required to obtain prior approval from provincial authorities in preparing zoning and land-use plans.

Structural visions and zoning plans are prepared by municipal, provincial and national governments for entire area under their responsibility. However, where provincial and national interests are at stake such as air quality along motorways, national government may develop an integration plan. In all other cases, municipal authorities are responsible for drawing up zoning plans. 

The Spatial Planning Act incorporates the Ground Development Act which gives the municipalities more powers to make financial arrangement with developers for general services, electricity supply and the layout of new developments. 

The Ministry is primarily responsible for areas and networks of national significance for the economic and social development of the Netherlands. These areas and networks are specified in the National Spatial Structure.

The main components with regard to the economy, infrastructure and urbanisation are:

• two mainports of Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and the Port of Rotterdam;
• infrastructure linking these main ports and their surrounding regions with urban areas in the Netherlands and abroad;
• brain ports (knowledge and innovation centres) such as Eindhoven and south-east Brabant and greenports (key horticulture/agriculture areas) such as Alsmeer;
• national urban networks and major transport axes.      

The National Spatial Structure incorporates space for water management and flood control for the major rivers, Wadden Sea, IJsselmeer, areas of the EU Coastal, Bird and Habitat directive, protected areas, National Ecological Network and ecological links, and UNESCO world heritage areas and national landscapes.