Development Eeneind-West

On this page you will find current information about the development of business park Eeneind-West on the Collse Hoefdijk. This page will be supplemented with messages when new developments occur.

May 13, 2025 - Decision on environmental permit Eeneind-West.

The Nuenen board of mayor and aldermen made a decision on 12 May 2025 on the permit application for the construction of a distribution centre at Eeneind-West. The board assessed the application against the applicable zoning plan and also carefully assessed the more than 1,500 submitted opinions. Based on this, the board could not decide otherwise than to grant the requested permit. 

Of course we understand the concerns of local residents that this decision entails. However, the regulations in the Netherlands stipulate that a zoning plan is always leading in the question of whether a permit must be granted. As a board, we are obliged to test the zoning plan against the plan rules. 

Traffic

We understand very well the concerns about the traffic situation. The fact is that the traffic situation around Eeneind and towards the A67 has changed in recent years, and the area is already experiencing heavy traffic and regular congestion. Whether there is one large company or several smaller companies on Eeneind-West: in all cases this means more traffic. We have to deal with this: as the municipality of Nuenen, but also in a regional context, with our neighboring municipalities, the province and with parties such as Rijkswaterstaat. We will monitor the situation and, if there is reason to do so, together with our partners, look for opportunities to take measures to improve traffic safety and accessibility.

Views

We are not deaf to the many views - quite the contrary. We have carefully considered whether the views could lead to a different decision on the requested permit. This is not the case: according to the current legislation in our country, we have to grant the permit. The permit can be appealed to the courts. It is then up to the judge to assess whether we could reasonably have arrived at this decision.

Zoning

A number of views indicate that the permit application does not exactly comply with the zoning plan. This is true, however: the deviation is limited and does not in itself create more adverse effects on the surrounding area. That makes the deviation acceptable. 

A possible amendment of the zoning plan to make large-scale logistics on Eeneind-West impossible makes no difference to the decision on this permit. After all, the application must be reviewed against the zoning plan in effect at the time of application.

Relationship environmental permit - nature permit

The granting of an environmental permit by the municipality is only one step in the permit process. Without a valid nature permit from the province, the project cannot be implemented. Both permits have separate requirements and must be applied for and approved separately. 

The environmental permit is granted by the municipality and covers aspects such as construction, environment and spatial planning. The nature permit is granted by the province and is specifically aimed at protecting Natura 2000 areas from negative impacts, such as nitrogen deposition. 

For the Eeneind-West project, the nature permit is crucial, as the plan area is near protected nature, including the Strabrechtse Heide. The province of North Brabant has currently suspended the handling of nature permits with nitrogen effects on Natura 2000 areas. 

Appeal?

In order to provide clarity to interested parties as soon as possible after the decision is made, we have included the permit on this page. You will also find the note of views below. 

Notice! The permit will be officially published on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 in the Municipal Gazette on overheid.nl.
This is also the start date of the appeal period. 

Don't agree with the decision? Then you can file an appeal within six weeks. You do this in the form of a letter. Send it to the Oost-Brabant District Court, Postbus 90125, 5200 MA's-Hertogenbosch:
- your name and address;
- the date of sending;
- your signature;
- a description of the decision against which you are appealing;
- an explanation of why you are appealing. 

ln lieu of a description of the decision against which you are appealing, you may also enclose a copy of the decision. You must pay court fees for processing the appeal. You can also submit the notice of appeal digitally to the said Court at https://loket.rechtspraak.nl/bestuursrecht. To do so, you must have an electronic signature (DigiD). Check the mentioned site for the exact Requirements. You can also contact the East Brabant District Court in 's-Hertogenbosch. The telephone number is 088 - 361 61 61.

Council information letter

Council information letter Decision on application for environmental permit Eeneind-West

Environment permit Eeneind-West

Environmental permit dated May 12, 2025 (including appendices 1 and 2)

Annexes to environmental permit

Documents accompanying decision

Notification activity decree

Attachments to activity order notification

Advice (X)XL damnation Board of State Advisors

March 19, 2025 - Remarks by Alderman Van Stiphout to the Nuenen City Council at the March 13, 2025 council meeting.

"Since the application for an environmental permit for the construction of 3 distribution halls on Eeneind-West was made available for public inspection, there have been large protests, both in the media and on the streets. In particular, council and college are being urged not to grant the permit. All kinds of arguments are put forward for this, the latest being the article by the board of the Anna Hospital in Geldrop.

These calls and articles affect everyone, including the college. I would like to explain the specifics of the process of processing application and the role of the city council and the college in it.

The role of the city council is to adopt a zoning plan. For Eeneind-West, the council did so in 2015. This was not appealed at the time. In 2016, the zoning plan became irrevocable, meaning that all public participation, views and legal procedures were completed. The zoning plan, which includes the permitted building height, traffic and what may be built, is thus sealed, so to speak. It can no longer be changed and thus it is clear what may be built on that zoning in the future. 

This happened 10 years ago, and 10 years ago, therefore, the council's role was finished. 

The role of the college is to review building permit applications against this irrevocable, sealed land use plan. The city council has no role in this. The college may not amend the zoning ordinance and must review against the zoning ordinance. If the college tests against anything else, it is unlawful.

This is the situation and this is what the college is doing now. Again: the council has no role in reviewing the application and the college may not review anything other than the irrevocable zoning plan.

All municipalities in the Netherlands must do it this way and are also required to process a permit application. That is what the law stipulates. So if municipalities, in the case of an irrevocable zoning plan, test against new reports or other insights and assumptions, that is unlawful. So it is not allowed. 

This means that all appeals, new reports and insights other than the basic principles of the zoning plan belong not to the council (that could have been done 10 years ago), not to the college (as it may only review the zoning plan), but to the courts.

I realize this is unsatisfactory, but we cannot do otherwise. Fortunately, we live in a democratic rule of law in which the courts have the final say."

Following this explanation, the Alderman answered questions from council members. You can review the March 13 council meeting.

Feb. 25, 2025 - Opportunity to comment on annexes statement of no objections species protection distribution centers Eeneind-West.

On June 17, 2024, the Municipal Executive took a draft decision on the permit application for the realization of three distribution centers within the Eeneind-West planning area on the Collse Hoefdijk. This draft decision was available for public inspection for six weeks from Monday, June 24. During this period approximately 1,500 views were submitted.

A number of annexes belonging to the declaration of no objections for the nature protection component were not available for inspection together with the draft decision. It was therefore not possible to comment on the content of these annexes. The mayor and aldermen hereby give those who have previously submitted an opinion against the draft environmental permit distribution centers Eeneind-West the opportunity to respond to the documents. A reaction to the relevant documents can be submitted within two weeks after February 25, 2025. You can find all the information in the Municipal Gazette.

Jan. 29, 2025 - Update on note of views.

The note of views Eeneind-West, which contains the response to all submitted views, is unfortunately not yet complete. This is because answering some questions requires input from external parties. They have not yet submitted their answers to us. As soon as we receive the missing answers, we can review and analyze them and then finalize the memorandum of views.

At this time, therefore, it is not possible to give a concrete indication of when the college will be able to make a decision on the application for an environmental permit and the memorandum of views.

November 2024 - Start demolition of buildings

A contractor commissioned by the Municipality of Nuenen has started (preparations for) the demolition of several buildings on the Collse Hoefdijk. It concerns the buildings with house numbers 34, 38 and 40, which are located on the site where business park Eeneind-West is being developed. Demolition will start in November and is expected to be completed by mid-March 2025. House number 34 will be demolished first, then house number 38 and lastly house number 40. 

Demolition notice Collse Hoefdijk 34

Demolition notice Collse Hoefdijk 38

Demolition notification Collse Hoefdijk 40

Nov. 18, 2024 - Decision on WOO request for antecedent agreement Eeneind-West.

Draft decision on environmental permit for distribution centers Eeneind-West

On June 17, 2024, the Municipal Executive took a draft decision on the permit application for the realization of three distribution centers within the Eeneind-West planning area on the Collse Hoefdijk. The draft environmental permit decision for distribution centers Eeneind-West was available for public inspection for six weeks from June 24, 2024. During that period, the municipality of Nuenen received some 1,500 views from residents of Geldrop, Mierlo, Nuenen and Heeze, among others. This shows great commitment to this development.

All views were registered upon receipt and then carefully read. The arguments presented were then inventoried. Frequently mentioned arguments are undesirable traffic effects, damage to nature, incorrect assessment against the zoning plan and the relationship with environmental regulations.

The next step is the substantive response to the views. It is possible that this also requires some sorting out. We are giving this our full attention and have freed up extra capacity for this. We expect this process to take at least several months. 

Because more than 250 views were submitted, the submitters will not receive a personal response to their views. The General Administrative Law Act states that the municipality can then suffice with a general publication in the municipal gazette on overheid.nl. We will also publish this publication on the municipal website and in the municipal notices in the door-to-door newspapers.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen expects to make a final decision on the environmental permit later this year.

Annexes Draft Decision