{"id":33784,"date":"2026-08-03T11:18:39","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T09:18:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/?p=33784"},"modified":"2026-08-03T11:32:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T09:32:06","slug":"notice-of-decision-on-environmental-permit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/en\/bekendmaking-beslissing-omgevingsvergunning\/","title":{"rendered":"Publication of the Decision on the Planning Permit: Rules, Deadlines and the Yellow Notice"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Publication of the Decision on the Planning Permit<\/strong>: <strong>How do you find out whether an environmental permit has been granted or refused? The rules on notification differ for the applicant and for third parties (neighbours, investors). In Flanders, correct notification is crucial as it determines the start date of the time limits for lodging an appeal.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For property investors and owners, it is crucial to know the exact date of the announcement. Misinterpreting this date could result in an appeal being lodged too late or work being started prematurely, with all the associated legal risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Note<\/strong>: This article deals exclusively with initial decisions (at \u2018first instance\u2019) taken by a municipality or province, against which an administrative appeal may still be lodged with the higher authority (the province or the Flemish Government, respectively).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Different rules apply to:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Appeal decisions:<\/strong> Decisions taken by a province or the Flemish Government following an appeal lodged previously.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Direct Flemish competence:<\/strong> Projects for which the Flemish Government has primary responsibility. In such cases, proceedings may only be brought before the Council for the Settlement of Licensing Disputes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/en\/submit-objection-to-environmental-permit\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/bezwaarschrift-indienen-omgevingsvergunning\/\"><strong>Here you can read more about lodging an objection to an environmental permit.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How can I check the status of a licence application?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Notification of the decision on an environmental permit and the status of a permit application are communicated in two different ways, depending on your role in the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. For the licence applicant<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The applicant will automatically receive the decision electronically. As a client or developer, you can track the status of your application directly via the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vlaanderen.be\/omgevingsvergunning\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.vlaanderen.be\/omgevingsvergunning\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Environment counter<\/a><\/strong>, the Flemish Government\u2019s central platform. As soon as the local authority or the competent authority makes a decision, you will receive an automatic email notification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. For third parties and those lodging an objection<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Third parties (neighbours, local residents) are, in principle, <strong>not<\/strong> notified personally by the local authority, even if they have not lodged a formal objection. For them, the legally valid notification takes the form of the notice being displayed in the usual manner <strong>yellow poster<\/strong>. In addition, the decision can be viewed at:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The public section of the Omgevingsloket.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The website of the relevant local authority.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Access (in paper or digital form) at the town hall.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Expert Quote:<\/strong> <em>\u201cMany members of the public wrongly assume that the local authority will send them a letter following their objection. This is a misconception. The onus is entirely on the individual to check. Anyone who misses the publication loses their right of appeal.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Yellow Poster: Requirements and Validity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The display of the yellow poster (A2 size) counts as the <strong>official start date<\/strong> regarding the appeal period for third parties. This notice must be displayed at the site where the licence is being carried out and, in accordance with the regulations, must, <strong>be permanently visible and legible from the public highway<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A legally valid poster must include the following details:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The subject of the licence (the purpose for which it was granted).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The identity of the licence holder.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The government that took the decision.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The location where the file is available for inspection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The specific appeal options and time limits.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Exceptions: Publication in the press<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For large-scale property projects, a poster alone is not enough. When it comes to projects involving a <strong>Class 1 environmental permit<\/strong> or projects for which a <strong>EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment)<\/strong> Where required, the local authority is obliged to publish the decision via an advertisement in a regional daily or weekly newspaper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why is the date of notification crucial? (Time limits)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The date of posting triggers the strict time limits under environmental law. Failure to comply with these time limits renders proceedings inadmissible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Time limit for objections (30 days)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you disagree with a licensing decision, you must lodge an appeal within <strong>30 days<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Start date:<\/strong> The period begins on the day <strong>after<\/strong> the putting up of the yellow poster.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consistency:<\/strong> At the end of these 30 days, the licence becomes final and can no longer be challenged through administrative channels.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Timeframe for the client (35 days)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a licence holder, you may not start work immediately upon receipt of the decision. You must wait until the appeal period has expired. You may start the work <strong>35 days<\/strong> after the first day of the notice being displayed (provided no appeal has been lodged).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Statistics:<\/strong> Figures from the Council for the Settlement of Licensing Disputes show that a significant proportion of appeal cases are rejected on procedural grounds, such as the late submission of the notice of appeal. Timing is everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Frequently asked questions (FAQ)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Am I obliged to notify my neighbours in person if I am granted a planning permission?<\/strong> No, as the developer, you are not legally obliged to inform your neighbours personally. Your legal obligation is to display the yellow notice correctly for the full 30-day period, so that it is visible from the public highway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>I\u2019ve lodged an objection but haven\u2019t received a letter \u2013 what should I do now?<\/strong> The authorities are not obliged to reply to you personally following an objection. You must proactively keep an eye on the Omgevingsloket or the yellow notices in your neighbourhood. As soon as the decision is posted, your 30-day appeal period begins. If you submitted your objection digitally via the Inzageloket, you will, in principle, receive an automatic notification from this portal once a decision has been made. However, do not rely on this alone; make sure you also follow up on the application yourself, for example by enquiring with the local council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What if the yellow poster wasn\u2019t visible from the street?<\/strong> If you can prove that the notice was not displayed in accordance with the rules (for example, if it was not legible from the public highway), this may affect the validity of the start of the appeal period. However, this requires a high standard of proof, often supported by a bailiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>When does an environmental permit become final?<\/strong> A licence becomes final (enforceable) 35 days after the first day on which the notice was posted, provided that no appeal with suspensive effect has been lodged with the competent provincial executive or the Flemish Government during the intervening 30-day period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>About the author:<\/strong> Niels Vansimpsen is an environmental law lawyer at Confianz. He supervises permit applications throughout Flanders. He also assists clients throughout Flanders with objections or appeals against submitted permit applications. He also provides assistance with construction and environmental offences and advises clients on the feasibility of their real estate project.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bekendmaking Beslissing Omgevingsvergunning: Hoe verneemt u of een omgevingsvergunning is goedgekeurd of geweigerd? De regels voor kennisgeving verschillen voor de aanvrager en voor derden (buren, investeerders). In Vlaanderen is de correcte bekendmaking cruciaal omdat dit de startdatum van de vervaltermijnen voor beroep bepaalt. Voor vastgoedinvesteerders en eigenaars is het cruciaal om de exacte datum van [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":33789,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[126,145,146,159],"tags":[993,545,992],"class_list":["post-33784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-belgie-vastgoedrecht","category-omgevingsvergunning-aanvechten","category-omgevingsvergunning-aanvragen","category-uw-omgevingsvergunning-geweigerd","tag-bekendmaking-beslissing-omgevingsvergunning","tag-gele-affiche","tag-status-omgevingsvergunning"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33784"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33784\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33787,"href":"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33784\/revisions\/33787"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.confianz.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}