Managing Approval Procedures

Infrastructure projects require complex approval procedures. Nothing works without observing increasingly detailed procedural and material requirements. The relevant legal frameworks include European, national environmental, and nature conservation law, water law, emission control law, and monument protection law, among others.

For every larger project this means that approval procedures lead to technically and legally complex requirements; they are often lengthy and marked by uncertainties.

HFK Rechtsanwälte represent decades of experience and commitment when it comes to a far-reaching understanding of the technical, economic, and political context. We support project developers and authorities in preparing, structuring, and implementing approval procedures. We work together with specialist planners and other experts on an interdisciplinary basis.

Our expertise, resulting from the legal support of many important infrastructure projects, includes the analysis of objections and issued statements, the development of legally secure replies and statements to private individuals, recognised associations, authorities, and public bodies. We accompany project developers and authorities throughout the entire process. This entails public participation and hearing processes up to the approval decision. It also includes judicial representation before all authorities, including the Federal Administrative Court.

We advise on projects – with competence, foresight, and pragmatism.

OUR RANGE OF CONSULTATION SERVICES:

Structuring and managing planning approval procedures
Stakeholder management
Legal advice in connection with environmental impact assessments
Compatibility tests for Special Areas of Conservation according to the EU Habitats Directive, expert reports on species protection
Legal quality management in preparing legal planning documents

Legal advice on early public participation
Legal advice on hearing procedures and legal process management
Legal objection and response management, with the use of Legal Tech, if applicable
Procedural legal advice to approval authorities
Judicial representation up to and including the Federal Administrative Court