Request transportation capacity in advance
The “Early Application for Transportation Capacity” program allows the municipality to apply for transportation capacity early in the planning process. The program is intended for projects involving residential construction, educational facilities, and collective housing.
The first coordinated application round runs from October 1 through October 23, 2026. Projects could be submitted for this round from August 31 through September 15, 2026. New projects may also be submitted after that date. For applications submitted after October 23, the standard procedure applies.
What are the rules?
In many places in the Netherlands, there is not enough capacity on the power grid. We call this grid congestion. As a result, new projects cannot always be connected immediately. This can cause delays in housing construction projects and educational facility projects.
Under the “Early Application for Transmission Capacity” program, the municipality can apply for transmission capacity and public priority on behalf of a project initiator at an early stage. Transmission capacity refers to the available space on the electricity grid for drawing or feeding electricity back into the grid.
This regulation allows municipalities to bring projects to the attention of the grid operator at an earlier stage.
Liander, the grid operator, is responsible for the gas and electricity grid in the municipality of Voorschoten.
On September 22, 2026, the municipality of Voorschoten published a priority list for projects that will be given priority by grid operator Liander. View the priority list below.
The order of events has been announced
Developers who wanted their projects to be considered for the waiting list had until September 15, 2026, to submit their projects to the municipality. The municipality has reviewed the submitted projects.
The priority list has been drawn up in accordance with the established policy guidelines for requesting priority for transportation capacity. In doing so, the municipality considers, among other things:
- The planned start of construction
- How far along the project is in its preparation
- The social significance of the project
- The expected completion date
View the order list
The table below shows the data on which the ranking list is based.
Order | Project | Developing Party | Phase | Is a lottery needed? |
| 1 | 1608 - Starrenburg III, Voorschoten | The Development Council | Phase 1: Vlietoevers | No |
| 2 | Starrenburg III, Voorschoten | Niersman Project Development, LLC | Phase 2: Strandwal, Part 2 | No |
| 3 | Starrenburg III, Voorschoten | Niersman Project Development, LLC | Phase 1: Strandwal, Part 1 | No |
| 4 | Jan Wagtendonkstraat | Rijnhart Housing | Phase 1 | No |
| 5 | Noortveer | Municipality of Voorschoten | Phase 1 | No |
| 6 | 1608 Starrenburg III - Voorschoten | The Development Council | Phase 2: South Island | No |
| 7 | Oude Stationslaantje | Rijnhart Housing | Phase 2 | No |
| 8 | Oude Stationslaantje | Rijnhart Housing | Phase 1 | No |
| 9 | 1608 - Starrenburg III, Voorschoten | The Development Council | Phase 3: Strandwal | No |
| 10 | Church of the Mother of God | Niersman Project Development, LLC | Phase 1 | No |
| 11 | Papelaan | Niersman Project Development, LLC | Phase 1 | No |
Project | Step 1: Start construction | Step 2: Project Readiness (score 1 through 6) | Step 3: Social Impact (score 0–3) | Step 4: Expected Completion Date |
| 1608 - Starrenburg III, Voorschoten | April 1, 2027 | 1 | 0 | October 17, 2028 |
| Starrenburg III, Voorschoten | April 1, 2027 | 1 | 0 | March 1, 2030 |
| Starrenburg III, Voorschoten | April 1, 2027 | 4 | 1 | March 1, 2028 |
| Jan Wagtendonkstraat | October 1, 2027 | 4 | 1 | May 1, 2028 |
| Noortveer | January 1, 2028 | 5 | 1 | July 1, 2029 |
| 1608 Starrenburg III - Voorschoten | August 15, 2028 | 4 | 1 | June 1, 2030 |
| Oude Stationslaantje | July 1, 2029 | 4 | 2 | December 1, 2029 |
| Oude Stationslaantje | July 1, 2029 | 4 | 2 | June 15, 2031 |
| 1608 - Starrenburg III, Voorschoten | April 23, 2030 | 4 | 0 | May 1, 2031 |
| Church of the Mother of God | July 1, 2030 | 6 | 0 | July 1, 2032 |
| Papelaan | January 1, 2031 | 6 | 1 | January 1, 2033 |
To which projects does the program apply?
The "Early Application for Transport Capacity" program is intended only for:
- Housing Development Projects
- Educational Facility Projects
- Projects for communal living arrangements
The project must comply with the prioritization framework established by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markt s (ACM). The project must also be completed within 10 years.
The municipality cannot assign priority to business projects.
What are the benefits of participating?
Projects with a social priority are moved up on the grid operator’s waiting list. This allows the grid operator to include the project in its capacity planning sooner.
Participation does not guarantee:
- A connection to the power grid
- Available transport capacity
- A connection on a specific date
The grid operator Liander determines when capacity is available on the power grid.
Important Dates
Developers had until Tuesday, September 15, 2026, to submit their projects. Therefore, it is no longer possible to add new projects to the waiting list.
See the important dates below.
Activity | Date |
| Registration Period Opens | August 31, 2026 |
| Registration Period Ends | September 15, 2026 |
| Adoption of the Order of Precedence List | September 22, 2026 |
| Objection Period | 10 days after the ranking list is finalized |
| Submission to the grid operator | October 1–23 |
Time blocks based on the year of initial construction
The municipality processes applications in batches. In doing so, we consider the project’s planned start year for construction. The planned start year for construction determines when a project is submitted.
The grid operator then assesses how much capacity is available and how it is allocated among the registered projects.
Application Date | Projects with a start year |
| As of October 1, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to begin through 2028 |
| As of October 6, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to begin through 2029 |
| As of October 8, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to Begin Through 2030 |
| As of October 12, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to Begin Through 2031 |
| As of October 14, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to begin through 2032 |
| As of October 16, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to begin through 2033 |
| As of October 20, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to Begin Through 2034 |
| As of October 22, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. | Construction to begin through 2035 |
What information do you need to provide?
A project proposal is required to evaluate an application. Depending on the project, the municipality may request:
- A description of the project;
- The project schedule;
- The number of housing units or school seats;
- A justification of the planning status;
- A prior agreement or other supporting documents;
- Information about the required electrical connection.
The policy guidelines specify exactly what information is required. View the policy guidelines for applying for priority for transportation capacity on the website lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl.
How does the municipality determine the order?
The municipality draws up a priority list based on the policy guidelines at . Among other things, the following factors are taken into account:
- The planned start date for construction
- How far along the project is in its preparation
- The social significance of the project
- The expected completion date
If projects tie in all categories, the municipality may conduct an additional evaluation or hold a lottery. This is done in accordance with the policy guidelines.
This approach ensures that projects are evaluated in a transparent and objective manner.
Questions or would you like more information?
Do you have any questions about this program, or would you like to know if your project is eligible? Please contact the municipality by email at duurzaam@voorschoten.nl.