The Legal 500

AKD is ProRail’s preferred law firm, and is assisting the client on projects such as the new railway between Rotterdam and Germany. The team represents over 100 local, provincial, and central governments, plus water boards, on all manner of environmental issues, as well as acting for major corporates such as AkzoNobel and Bayer CropScience. Jos van der Velden leads the team, which also has strength in the energy sector.

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek focuses primarily on large energy and transport projects. Nicolien van den Biggelaar is representing the port of Rotterdam on creating a new location for port activities in the North Sea, and is acting for Gasunie on the €1.1bn Gas Roundabout project to expand the hi-cal gas transmission system. The team is also acting for TenneT on the new electricity grid interconnection between the Netherlands and Germany.

Planning work at Loyens & Loeff included advising on the development and turnkey sale of two large projects in Rotterdam for Provastgoed, and acting for Stadsgewest Arnhem-Nijmegen (a large public authority) regarding the award of transport concessions for public authorities. Environment work included advising the Municipality of Barendrecht on plans for a carbon capture and geological storage under its grounds, and acting for HEJA on a significant mixed-use development. Henk Breeman and André van der Kolk lead the team.

NautaDutilh is advising the Municipality of Amsterdam on all environmental and planning issues regarding the development of the €4bn South Axis project and the new urban districts of IJburg and Overamstel, and InterGen on the environmental aspects of two power plant projects. Erik Minderhoud and Norbert de Munnik lead the 15-strong team, which focuses on complex and large-scale projects and environmental permits for large industrial sites.

The four-partner team at Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn NV is regularly involved in the largest development projects, acting for the Netherlands and a number of municipalities and provinces, as well as water boards, and domestic and international clients in the private sector. Liesbeth Schippers is highly recommended for her legal knowledge and advocacy skills.

Stibbe’s ‘whole team is impressive’, and is ‘certainly value for money – a high standard of advice and excellent response times’. Practice head Aaldert ten Veen and Tijn Kortmann advised Nuon and Electrabel on environmental and nature preservation permits for coal-heated power plants, and acted for Essent on the Netherlands’ second nuclear power plant. They act alongside Jan Reinier van Angeren and Tom Barkhuysen to advise governmental bodies on projects such as infrastructure and office developments in Amsterdam’s South Axis area.

Allen & Overy LLP handles a significant amount of environmental and planning work for energy clients, acting for Dong-Airticity joint venture to develop three wind farms, and advising Noun on the planning and zoning requirements for the underground gas storage in Zuidwending. Henry van Geen heads the team.

Anne-Marie Klijn’s team at Boekel De Nerée has been advising on the new building law that came into force in October, and advised Bouwfonds MAB on environmental and zoning law aspects of a large development at Zuidas. Fleur Spijker was promoted to partner.

Jaap Koster’s team at Clifford Chance regularly advises on the environmental aspects of acquisitions, as well as infrastructure and energy projects. The group is currently advising on the A15 and A12 PPP projects, and acting for Enecogen on building a gas-fired power plant. The team also advises funds on their renewable energy investments.

Houthoff Buruma advised the Municipality of Rotterdam on Europe’s largest land reclamation project, which will triple container capacity at the port of Rotterdam, and acted for Delta Projectontwikkeling on developing the Netherlands’ first sustainable business park. Jans Frans de Groot, Mary de Gaay Fortman and Robert Crince le Roy are the key contacts.

Lexence’s environment and planning practice works closely with the real estate department. Arthur Kaspers led a team advising Wereldhave on its acquisition of five shopping malls. Other clients include Unibail Rodamco and new client, the University of Wageningen.

Recent highlights for Norton Rose LLP include advising RWE Power on obtaining permits and licences to install a 1,600MW coal-fired power plant, and acting for Nuon Duurzame Energie on permits for the construction and operation of an onshore wind farm in the Municipality of Duiven. Daphne Broerse heads the practice.

Maayke Maas-Cooymans joined from Simmons & Simmons LLP to establish an environment, planning and administrative practice at Ploum Lodder Princen Advocaten en Notarissen, which has picked up instructions for some impressive clients.