Digital Planning Application is a project of the Flemish Government which aims to digitise the application for planning permission for building construction work in the Flanders region so that they can be made over the Internet. Currently the application process is done using paper forms. This is a complex procedure, however, and depending on the situation it may require as many as eight separate copies of the form being sent to different agencies.
The aim of the project is to create a one-stop shop that enables the safe and reliable digital processing of an application. This would enable the different agencies to provide their input quickly, cheaply and easily, and enable the applicant to trace the progress of their application up to the final decision.
Minister Muyters said: "The digital planning application we want now is to submit an electronic copy. This has many advantages. The applicant will only have to submit their information once and will be able to follow exactly where the application is located. The various departments of government will all have an identical copy available and current."
He added: "A Dutch study found that for a digital processing of planning applications the average cost of €1 300 euro could halve. This would be a very nice saving for everyone."
The possibility of applications for planning permission to be submitted via the Internet will have a major impact on different stakeholders: citizens, architects, businesses, local authorities and the Flemish Government. As a result, the intention is to involve these groups during the development of the new system. In addition, it is intended that the different municipalities would be able to adapt the basic system to their own specific requirements.
Preparations began in June 2010, and the project will run until the end of 2012, when it is foreseen the digital application system will be implemented. The City of Antwerp in central Flanders has agreed to work with the Flemish Government to develop the system. Antwerp will therefore provide the first field tests for the system, and their experiences will be used to further refine and develop the system, in line with the input of the various stakeholders. By the end of 2012, it is hoped that the most common application procedures could be done online.
Further information:
- Original news article - Digital Planning Application (in Dutch)
- Digital Planning Application Leaflet (in Dutch)
---
Quelle/Source: epractice, 28.04.2011
Bitte besuchen Sie/Please visit:
