Flemish government makes internet connection mandatory for building permit

Anyone who wants to build a new-build house or carry out a thorough renovation in Flanders will only receive a permit if infrastructure is built that makes access to broadband internet possible.

Permit applications submitted after December 31, 2016 must comply with the new requirement. In concrete terms, this means that the plans must include infrastructure for a broadband connection. It concerns ‘physical in-house infrastructure up to the network connection points’. In principle, a connection point that enables connection to the dsl copper network seems to be sufficient.

The measure is partly a transposition of a European directive that is intended to reduce the costs of installing a broadband connection. Europe’s wish is that all citizens have access to a connection with a download speed of 30Mbit/s, and that should be 100Mbit/s for half of all Europeans.

With the rule, the government wants to prevent people from finding out that there is no broadband internet connection after they buy a house. According to the most recent IT barometer of the FPS Economy, 18.2 percent of households had no internet access in 2015. About half of them thought an internet connection was ‘not necessary’ and about 45 percent thought the costs for the material or connection were too high.

The Flemish Government has in principle approved the urban planning regulation. Advice is still being sought from the Council of State. Outbuildings, buildings with a military function and tourist accommodations will receive an exemption.