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Aesthetics Policy

Are you planning to build something new or make changes to an existing building? If so, you must first determine whether an environmental permit is required. In some cases, the municipality must review your construction plan againstMoerdijk’s aesthetic policyand submit it to the Moerdijk Visual Environmental Quality Commission for independent advice.

Prior to January 1, 2024, the Moerdijk Visual Environmental Quality Committee was known as the Combined Aesthetics and Monuments Committee. See alsothe 2023 Rules of Procedure for the Assessment of Visual Environmental Qualityandthe Moerdijk Visual Environmental Quality Advisory Committee Ordinance.

Moerdijk Visual Environmental Quality Committee

This committee meets almost every Thursday morning. In odd-numbered weeks, the committee reviews plans for historic monuments and properties within the protected cityscape. These meetings are open to the public. You must register in advance atinfo@moerdijk.nl. The agenda for the upcoming meeting is published every week on our website.

Area Criteria

Criteria for the construction of buildings and structures have been established for each area. You can request the criteria for your address byemailing info@moerdijk.nl. Please include the address in question in your email. The area-specific criteria will then be sent to you. You can then assess—either on your own or together with your architectural advisor—whether your construction plan is likely to be approved by the Visual Environmental Quality Committee.

Areas Exempt from Building Code Requirements

Not all plans are submitted to the aesthetics committee. In the case of historic monuments or properties located within Willemstad’s protected historic district, the historic preservation committee must issue an opinion in almost all cases.

Three areas in the municipality of Moerdijk have been designated as exempt from building code requirements. Please note: “exempt from building code requirements” does not mean “exempt from permits”! The areas are:

  • Industrial parks: streets that are not located along a through road in the Dintelmond (Heijningen), Zwanegat (Zevenbergen), and Moerdijk industrial parks. 
  • Rural area: the area designated as a rural area in the zoning plan, with the exception of historic monuments and properties included in the historic monuments inventory project.  
  • Rear yards on lots zoned for residential use. The definition of a rear yard is based on the Environmental Law Decree (Bor), with the exception of historic buildings. 

You can find the exact street names and criteria in these publications: 

Excess Policy

Although construction is sometimes possible without the advice of an aesthetics committee (applying for an environmental permit is still required!), the exception rule remains in effect. This means that if a construction plan is in very serious violation of reasonable aesthetic standards, the municipality may still send a written notice to the owner of the structure and ensure that this violation is rectified. 

See also