Jaarverslag VTH 2024 Groningen – Building and Compliance Annual Report
The Jaarverslag Uitvoeringsprogramma Vergunningverlening, Toezicht en Handhaving 2024 is the official annual evaluation document issued by the Gemeente Groningen, Netherlands. Published in June 2025, it reports on the execution of the licensing, supervision, and enforcement (VTH) program for the calendar year 2024. This report assesses municipal performance under the broader legal framework of the Omgevingswet (Environment Act) and the Wet kwaliteitsborging voor het bouwen (Wkb), both of which entered into force on January 1, 2024.
The document covers five primary regulatory domains: permit issuance, construction supervision and enforcement, housing supervision (Woontoezicht), environmental protection (Milieu), and fire safety (Brandveiligheid). It details the transition to new digital registration systems, including the Digitaal Stelsel Omgevingswet (DSO) and Centric Leefomgeving (CLO). The report provides quantitative data on BRIKS tasks—covering Bouwen (Building), Reclame (Advertising), Inrit (Access), Kappen (Felling), and Slopen (Demolition)—as well as activities involving the Omgevingsdienst Groningen (ODG) and the Veiligheidsregio Groningen (VRG).
The following sections detail the specific administrative outcomes, permit processing metrics, and enforcement actions taken by the municipality during the first year of the new legislative regime.
Transition to the Omgevingswet and Wkb
The implementation of the Omgevingswet and the Wet kwaliteitsborging voor het bouwen (Wkb) has fundamentally altered municipal workflows. For Gevolgklasse 1 (Consequence Class 1) structures, such as new-build ground-bound dwellings, technical supervision has largely shifted to private quality assurance providers, changing the municipal role to repressive enforcement.
- Fatal Deadlines: Under the new act, permits by operation of law (vergunningen van rechtswege) no longer occur due to the removal of fatal terms.
- Supervision Shift: Municipal inspectors now focus more on administrative preparation and fragmented partial permits (deelvergunningen).
- Digital Systems: All cases in 2024 required increased processing time due to the adoption of the DSO and Omnimap systems.
Licensing Performance and BRIKS Tasks
The municipality processes environmental permits for a variety of spatial activities. Despite a significant peak in applications at the end of 2023 under the old regime, the first permit under the Omgevingswet was issued as early as January 3, 2024.
- Processing Times: The average lead time for an environmental permit application in 2024 was 9 days.
- Advise Timelines: Internal advice for spatial plans, technical tests, and monuments are targetted to be completed within 14 days.
- Application Volumes: 1,946 environmental permits were processed in 2024, alongside 970 demolition notifications (sloopmeldingen).
Construction Safety and Earthquake Resistance
In the context of gas extraction issues in the region, the NPR 9998 standard for earthquake-resistant building remains a central focus of supervision. The municipality also manages the Landelijke Richtlijn Bouw- en Sloopveiligheid to prevent unsafe situations on construction sites.
- Safety Plans: Projects scoring higher than 12 points on the safety risk assessment require a mandatory safety plan and coordinator.
- Enforcement: 351 enforcement trajectories were initiated in 2024, with 114 specific requests for enforcement (handhavingsverzoeken).
- Earthquake Safety: 63 acute unsafe situations related to earthquake damage were addressed.
Housing Supervision and Administrative Fines
Housing supervision focuses on the Wet goed verhuurderschap (Good Landlordship Act) to combat housing fraud and overcrowding. The team Woontoezicht has increased the use of administrative fines as an instrument of enforcement.
- Administrative Fines: 111 fines were imposed in 2024, an increase from 74 in the previous year.
- Tourist Rentals: 395 registrations for tourist rentals were processed, following the mandatory registration rule effective since January 2023.
- Financial Yield: The total financial yield from enforcement trajectories in 2024 amounted to €378,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the average processing time for permits in Groningen in 2024?
The average lead time for an environmental permit application was 9 days in 2024.
How has the Wkb affected municipal construction inspections?
For consequence class 1 buildings, technical supervision is now handled by private parties, while the municipality retains a repressive enforcement role.
What is the requirement for a building safety plan?
A safety plan and coordinator are mandatory for projects that score higher than 12 points on the safety risk assessment scale.
How many administrative fines were issued for housing violations?
In 2024, the municipality imposed 111 administrative fines related to housing supervision.
Are permits still granted by operation of law if the deadline passes?
No, under the new Omgevingswet effective from 2024, permits by operation of law no longer exist as there are no fatal deadlines.
What is the compliance rate for Energy Label C in offices?
97% of offices in Groningen have achieved a sufficient energy label, with enforcement continuing for the remaining 3%.
Which standard is used for earthquake-resistant construction in Groningen?
The municipality uses the NPR 9998 (Netherlands Practice Guideline) for earthquake-resistant building and supervision.
