Willem’s practice includes advising and litigating for various parties within the areas of planning and environmental law and real estate law. He advises clients both from a legal as a strategic perspective in projects or transaction. Eventual civil and administrative litigation is second nature to Willem. He specialises in spatial planning law, environmental law related to facilities (inrichtingen), REACH, substances of very high concern, land use policy (in particular expropriation, the Dutch Act on Preferential Rights of Municipalities (Wvg), long-term ground lease, and land exploitation), and energy law.

Willem acts on behalf of property developers, investors, businesses in the (chemical) industry, utility companies, and parties active in (sustainable) energy projects. His clients further include local and regional authorities, such as municipalities, provinces, and environment agencies.

Because of his broad range of expertise and experience, Willem quickly perceives strategic interrelationships, making him the right sparring partner for his clients. Also, his clients value his practical solutions and unambiguous language. Not to mention his extensive knowledge of the market and of the relevant areas of law which enable him to get to the heart of the matter quickly, and to find the right solutions for his clients.

Willem is the author of books on planning and environmental law (VIND Omgevingszaken (Grondexploitatie)) and administrative law (VIND Bestuursrecht (Wvg)), and multiple Dutch law journals regularly publish his comments on court decisions. Additionally, Willem enjoys lecturing on various subjects related to his practice (inter alia long-term ground lease on account of the Berghauser Pont Academy, and on land exploitation for the Dutch Academy for the Practice of Law (Academie voor de Rechtspraktijk)). In 2012, Willem completed the Grotius Academy course on Environmental and Planning Law with honours.

Industry focus

• (Sustainable) energy
• Industrial sector
• Government
• Real Estate

Areas of expertise

• Construction Law
• Constitutional and administrative law
• Energy
• Land acquisition and exploitation
• Real Estate
• Spatial planning and environmental law

Experience

Willem’s work includes:

• Advising various project developers on natural gas-free building and construction;
• Advising Tata Steel regarding the emissions of dust and graphite, which are released during the handling of iron slags and have regularly spread to neighboring communities (Wijk aan Zee) and caused unrest under its inhabitants ("graphite rain"), thereby also causing much media attention;
• Advising both strategically and legally on various areas for development, including the areas of Wickevoort Haarlemmermeer and Koningsoord Berkel-Enschot in Tilburg, Noorderhaven in Zutphen, and Othene in Terneuzen;
• Representing the province of Zuid Holland concerning the environmental permits of Chemours/DuPont in Dordrecht related to the desired reduction in the exhaust of GenX;
• Acting on behalf of the Municipality of Dordrecht with regard to the establishment of the zoning plan “Zuidrand van Dubbeldam”. Pursuant to this zoning plan, the development of Belthure Park (a project consisting out of 220 houses and a golf course) Is no longer possible. The Judicial Division of the Council of State, has ruled that the Municipality was authorized to amend the existing zoning plan in favour of maintaining the green polder landscape.

Awards

• PropertyNL Top-60 Vastgoedjuristen;
• Ranked lawyer in Chambers 2020; Public Law: Planning and Environment (Band 3) "One impressed client remarks that he is a "very trusted adviser for us in environmental law and administrative law issues.";
• Chambers Europe 2020: Public Law: Band 3, Planning & Environment: Band 2: "Clients praise the team's ability to provide "feasible advice," and highlight that the lawyers "can understand our way of work."
• Legal 500 2020 Environment and Planning (Tier 1): “based in The Hague, has expertise in sectors ranging from construction and real estate, to energy and water. It advises on sustainable energy projects, zoning and planning matters and includes developers, investors, and local and regional authorities among its clients. Willem Bosma, Jacques Sluysmans and Willem van der Werf lead the team."
• Legal 500 2020 Energy: Regulatory (Tier 2) "The team provides assistance to clients in relation to the regulatory aspects in energy projects and offers particular expertise in the renewable energy sector.";

• Legal 500 2020 Construction (Tier 3): "Van der Feltz Advocaten has a strong procurement and construction law team, which often works in conjunction with the firm's environmental, planning, and energy departments to meet a wide range of project-related needs."

• Legal 500 2020 Real Estate (Tier 4): “…The team at Van der Feltz Advocaten provides 'accurate and compelling advice'. It has 'very broad knowledge of both civil and public building law', leading to instructions from clients including developers, investors, construction companies, international organisations, and particularly municipalities and provinces."

Professional associations

• Visiting lecturer at Amnesty International
• Member of the Dutch Association for Expropriation Lawyers
• Member of the Dutch Association for Expropriation Law
• Member of the Dutch Association for Construction Law
• Member of VAR (Association for Administrative Law)
• Member of the Dutch Association for Environmental Law