
Manurestorage
Environmental permit for environmental activity
If you want to build a manure basin on your company, either a notification under the Activities Decree must be submitted, or an environmental permit for the environmental activity (former environmental permit) must be applied for. An environmental permit is a single integrated permit for building, living, monuments, space, nature and the environment.
However, in the context of the environment, a notification is sufficient. This means that you are required to report but do not need to apply for a special permit for manure storage. In short, it means that when you build a storage:
- within the building plot
- up to 2,500 m³ (total manure storage above ground)
- up to 750 m² storage at least 100 metres from a residential building (neighbours)
- up to 750 m² storage at least 50 metres from an agricultural building (neighbours)
- up to 350 m² storage at least 50 metres from a residential building (neighbours)
- not higher than the existing buildings
- the notification is actually a formality. In this case, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for completion and you can start building.

Manurestorage
Inspection and testing
If the construction of a manure basin means that the total storage capacity and/or surface area of all above-ground manure basins on your company (such as manure bags, foil basins, manure silos) exceeds 2500 m³ and/or 750 m³, an environmental permit for the environmental activity must be applied for.
The complexity of this application depends, among other things, on the current permit/notification that applies to your company. For example, there are various possible applications (you cannot choose this yourself):
- Establishment of a facility: the construction of the manure basin means that an establishment permit must be applied for for the entire company. This means that keeping animals, storing agricultural operating materials, energy consumption, storage of solid manure, waste consumption and other activities must also be included. If all goes well, the activities you apply for will be permitted.
- Changing/expanding a facility: a permit for the environmental activity has previously been granted for your company. This permit is, for example, 7 years old. Because there is still a fairly recent permit with, if all goes well, appropriate regulations applicable, only the manure basin can be applied for in the change permit/expansion permit.
- Revision permit: a permit for the environmental activity has previously been granted for your company. This permit is outdated (more than 10 years ago) or there have been a number of changes to the existing permit in the period up to now because it has become unclear. In those cases, a revision permit must be applied for to expand with a manure basin. This means a permit covering the entire facility. It is actually comparable to a foundation permit.

Manurestorage
Environmental permit
In addition to the environmental activity, an environmental permit for the building activity, spatial planning and work or activities must often be applied for. Sometimes a Nature Conservation Act permit or a declaration of no objections from the province is also required. You should also take into account that when applying for an environmental permit for the manure basin, a number of studies can be requested:
- Archaeology
- Quick scan Flora and Fauna
- Acoustic research
- Odour research (for special cases)
- Soil research
- Spatial substantiation (if it does not fit in with the zoning plan)
In some cases, it is permitted to realize a manure storage outside the building plot. In some municipalities, it is permitted to realize a manure basin or a manure bag adjacent to the building block. Provided that an exemption is granted for the mandatory fencing around this storage. And the zoning plan must permit this. Of course, the aforementioned rules also apply here.
In some cases, it is possible to realize a storage (often only a manure basin or manure bag) at a distance. A good substantiation to the municipality is required and the zoning plan must provide this possibility.
