Voorschoten Advisory Committee on Environmental Quality

What does the Environmental Quality Advisory Committee Voorschoten do?

The Voorschoten Environmental Quality Advisory Committee advises the Voorschoten Municipal Executive ( executive board ) on construction plans in the municipality. Previously, this committee was known as the Aesthetics and Cultural Heritage Committee (WCE). The new name stems from the entry into force of the Environmental Quality Act ( Omgevingswet ) on January 1, 2024.

The committee members are independent experts, each with their own area of expertise. The advisory committee has one citizen member. This member was appointed to represent the public’s perspective on environmental quality. The Voorschoten Environmental Quality Advisory Committee evaluates construction plans against the quality criteria set forth in the Aesthetics Policy (2008). It not only provides advice on “ordinary” construction plans, such as renovations or the construction of a new home, but is also consulted on urban development projects, such as new residential neighborhoods, and in the adoption of zoning plans. The Voorschoten Municipal Executive ( executive board ) also seeks advice from the Voorschoten Environmental Quality Advisory Committee on changes relating to Voorschoten’s cultural heritage. This includes national and municipal monuments, protected country estates, landmark buildings, and protected village views. In addition, the municipal executive seeks advice on cultural-historical aspects regarding non-monuments, such as new construction within a protected village landscape or in landscapes of cultural-historical value.

Aesthetic policy document

An application for an environmental licence is always submitted to the Environmental Quality Advisory Committee Voorschoten. Small construction plans are assessed against quick-assessment criteria. You can download the Aesthetic policy document at the bottom of this page.

Procedure

Licence applications and preliminary consultation situations are always first assessed for the completeness of the submitted data and compliance with the zoning plan. If the plan meets the requirements, it can be submitted to the committee.

Meetings

The committee’s meetings are open to the public and are held at the “ town hall ” in Voorschoten or online. As the applicant, you may explain your building permit application during the meeting. If you wish to do so, you must indicate this when you submit your application. Because the meetings are open to the public, you may attend without the right to speak; you do not need to register to do so.

Would you like more information about the committee? Please contact the secretariat of the Environmental Quality Advisory Committee Voorschoten. They can be reached by email at the following email address: welstand@voorschoten.NL.

You can view the ordinance establishing the Environmental Quality Advisory Committee Voorschoten on the website Overheid.NL.

You can consult the Rules of Procedure of the committee here.

The Environmental Quality Advisory Committee Voorschoten consists of the following members:

  • Mr. Ir. M. Peek – restoration architect (advisor to Stichting Dorp, Stad en Land)
  • Ms. Ir. R. Van der Werff – architect (advisor to Stichting Dorp, Stad en Land)
  • Lay member: Ms. Drs. F. Lamboo
  • Mr. Dr. H.M.J. Tromp – cultural historian, estates and country houses

Documents