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Groene Ster events

The local authority wants to continue to encourage and facilitate events in De Groene Ster. This is partly because events are low-threshold and accessible to a broad public. The events also bring many people into contact with culture. Events also boost Leeuwarden’s economy.

The Groene Ster and the city centre have the greatest appeal for holding events. Both locations are and will remain important event locations for that reason. See also the page: location profile events.

Zoning plan changes

To make festivals possible in De Groene Ster, the local authority has so far worked with environmental permits. This allows exemptions from the existing zoning plan. The task given to the local authority – partly in response to court rulings – is to regulate events through the zoning plan itself. This involves making partial adjustment (partial revision), as the De Groene Ster zoning plan, which is largely working well. This is also because events are not held in the whole area of De Groene Ster. This adaptation of the plan goes through a zoning procedure. A zoning procedure is a lengthy one. It is also something we want to go through carefully to give a voice to local residents, event organisers and other stakeholders. The process began in 2018 when an action plan was drawn up and several rounds of talks were held with stakeholders.

Review

The preliminary draft zoning plan was available for viewing from 26 July 2018 to 19 September 2018. That gave everyone the chance to view it. Several comments were received on the preliminary draft. These public comments (viewpoints) have been taken into account in the preparation of the draft zoning plan.

In three rulings on events in De Groene Ster in 2018, the Court of the Northern Netherlands ruled that an Appropriate Assessment must be made under the Nature Conservation Act on the impact of the (musical and other) events on the pond bat. An Appropriate Assessment further examines the potential impact and may describe measures to avoid negative impact. The measures may not be included in determining whether an Appropriate Assessment is required. Conducting an Appropriate Assessment leads to the mandatory preparation of an environmental impact report (EIR). The EIA identifies all expected environmental impact relevant to decision-making. The Appropriate Assessment will form part of the EIA. The EIA/ Appropriate Assessment allows Leeuwarden’s city council to take the environmental consequences into account when deciding on the zoning plan.

Where we are now

The partial revision of the Groene Ster zoning plan was available for inspection from 30 March to 11 May 2023. In other words: the draft Groene Ster zoning plan is ready.

From now on, anyone can view the plan at the town hall or online via overheid.nl. It was also possible for anyone to respond to it until 11 May 2023. This is formally referred to us ‘submitting a viewpoint’.

After that, consideration is given to whether any adjustments will be made to the draft plan as a result of the responses. The redrafted zoning plan many then be submitted to the city council through the city executive committee after the summer.

The first step in the procedure was to define the research frameworks for the environmental impact report. This is done in the Scope and Detailed Level Policy Document. This policy document describes, among other things, what Leeuwarden wants to facilitate in De Groene Ster, which environmental effects will be investigated and at what depth. The policy document was open for viewing from 6 February 2020 to 18 March 2020.

The independent Environmental Impact Assessment Commission has been asked to advise on the Scope and Detailed Policy Document. And also on the environmental impact report with the Appropriate Assessment at a later date. An information meeting was held on 27 February 2020. On the agenda were the process so far, the Scope and Detailed Policy Document and the follow-up to shape the zoning plan that allows events.

The zoning plan was further developed based on the comments, public participation responses and also various research findings referred to in them. This also takes into account court rulings in recent years.

Newsletters, reports, presentations, etc.

Newsletter residents of De Groene Ster

Do you want to be kept informed about developments in De Groene Ster recreation area? Then register via the newsletter registration form.

Presentations and information meetings

Local residents and other stakeholders who still had questions following the information meeting on 30 November 2022 were able to ask the subject specialists during the information evening on the Thursday evening of 8 December 2022.

City council sounding board group

Action plan 2018

Stakeholder reports 2018