ABSTRACT
More than half of the Dutch territory is flood prone, being below sea level and vulnerable to flooding from the major rivers. Thus, protection against flooding is a key defining issue in the Netherlands, significantly affecting its approach to coastal zone management. In the wake of a catastrophic storm surge disaster in 1953, the Dutch developed legislation and strategies for the management of the Delta and constructed substantial flood defences. That 1953 event, together with smaller-scale events in 1993 and 1995 around the major rivers, has led to strong public awareness and political pressure concerning the necessity of planning for coastal areas. Nevertheless, current spatial planning legislation in the Netherlands provides local authorities with significant leeway to approve some types of development on the coast. The key precondition is that developments do not hinder the primary function of the flood defence structures. Recently proposed changes to the spatial planning regulations will expand the range of permitted development in coastal areas. The relative freedom granted to local authorities in approving developments has been the subject of significant public debate in recent years, as members of civil society seek a more consistent and wide-reaching approach to the protection of coastal areas.
