Search takes care of air quality investigations for Newcon B.V.

Search gets project developments in inner cities moving again

Project development company Newcon B.V. is active on the project development market and bought parking lots in the inner cities of Meppel, Amersfoort and Breda. When applying for the required building permits, the company met with municipal objections, connected with the strict rules and regulations dealing with air quality. The planned development of apartment towers with underground car parks would exceed the statutory criteria for air quality. Because of that, these project developments were on the line.

Since 2005, Holland is one of the countries in which the European Air Quality Directive has become effective. This standard contains strict rules and regulations concerning air quality. This should remain stable or improve with new zoning or building plans. From the middle of 2005 onward, the competent authorities – in this case the municipalities of Meppel, Amersfoort and Breda – have to judge plans and project developments according to the prescribed criteria for air quality. The competent authorities can refuse a building, demolition or renovation permit and can even shut down a project. According to the municipalities involved, the project proposals which Newcon had submitted would cause the fixed criteria to be exceeded, because the number of traffic movements would increase. On the basis of the increased parking capacity and the extra traffic they would attract into the inner city area, the project developer’s plans were rejected by all three of the municipalities.

Starting point: Provada

Newcon and Search met during Provada, the first international real estate fair which was held in June 2005 at the RAI Congress Centre in Amsterdam. That first meeting was productive, because already during an introductory discussion it became clear that Search could be of service to the project developing company, with advice and active support. After the real estate fair Search investigated, at Newcon’s request, the air quality in the existing situation, the number of traffic movements on existing parking lots and the amount of time cars were parked there. On the basis of these data, Search was able to conclude that the number of traffic movements in the existing situation was higher that would be the case if parking garages had been built on the location. Moreover, it turned out that the design of the apartment buildings and the car park could be adapted in such a way that the air quality would deteriorate only marginally. By installing the barriers to the underground parking inside the building, the emission of fine particles and nitrogen dioxide into the air could be absorbed using an exhaust system provided with soot filters. 

Counterbalance regulation

The investigations started in September 2005, and by now they have been finished. In the mean time the counterbalance regulation has become effective. This enables project developers to carry out urban development plans in areas where the air contains too many fine particles and too much nitrogen dioxide, on the condition that this is compensated for in a wider area. According to this counterbalance regulation, which is included in the Directive, it’s even allowed to carry out project developments which deteriorate the air quality. On the basis of Search’s investigation results, discussions with the municipalities have been resumed and the project developments are moving again. Newcon was so satisfied with the positive outcome, that Search now is working on follow-up commissions for the project development company.