English / Danish planning terms

A

Anvendelsesbestemmelse permitted use provision

The provision in a local plan that fixes what an area may be used for. For a company assessing a plot it is the single most important line in the document, and it is often narrower than the register field suggests. More, in Danish

Arealoverførsel transfer of land between properties

A cadastral change that moves an area from one property to another without creating a separate property. It requires a chartered surveyor and the approval of the municipality. More, in Danish

B

BBR Building and Dwelling Register

The municipal register of buildings and their use, floor area and year of construction. The owner is responsible for the data being correct, which is why BBR figures and reality sometimes differ. More, in Danish

Bebyggelsesprocent plot ratio

Gross floor area as a percentage of the plot area. It is calculated for the individual plot unless the plan clearly states otherwise, for example for the area as a whole. More, in Danish

BFE-nummer unique property number

Bestemt Fast Ejendom. The number that identifies one property across the cadastre, BBR, the land register and the public valuation. Useful when you need to be certain two documents describe the same property. More, in Danish

Brandredningsareal fire service access area

The paved area the fire service must be able to place ladders and equipment on along a building. It takes up room on the plot and is easy to forget when a hall is drawn close to a boundary. More, in Danish

Brandsektion fire compartment

A part of a building separated from the rest by fire resisting construction so that a fire does not spread beyond it within a set time. Compartment size limits affect how large a single hall can be. More, in Danish

Byggefelt building envelope on the plot

The delimited area of a plot where the local plan allows building. The building has to stay inside it, however large the rest of the plot is. More, in Danish

Byggemodning site servicing

Preparing land for construction: road, utility connections and drainage up to the plot. The word covers very different levels of completion, and a serviced plot is not necessarily ready to build on. More, in Danish

Byggepligt obligation to build

A condition in a purchase agreement that the buyer must have completed construction within a given deadline. Common in municipal land sales. More, in Danish

Byggeret development right

The building the planning framework actually gives you the right to erect. A plot without a local plan does not necessarily carry a development right, even if it is zoned for business. More, in Danish

Bygningsreglementet the Danish Building Regulations

The building code, currently BR18. It sets fire, energy and structural requirements and defines how floor area is calculated. More, in Danish

Byzone urban zone

Zone status for land designated for urban development. Building in urban zone does not require a rural zone permit, but it must follow the local plan and the municipal plan. More, in Danish

D

Datafordeleren the Danish Data Distributor

The state platform that distributes basic public data, including the cadastre, BBR and addresses. It is the source behind most automated property lookups. More, in Danish

Delområde sub-area of a local plan

A subdivision of a local plan area with its own provisions. A quotation from a plan is only valid for the sub-area it belongs to, which is a common source of error. More, in Danish

Dispensation exemption from a plan provision

The municipality's permission to depart from a provision in a local plan. It can only be granted if the departure does not conflict with the principles of the plan. More, in Danish

Dækningsafgift commercial property levy

A municipal levy on commercial property calculated on the land value. Each municipality decides whether to charge it, so the same building costs different amounts on either side of a municipal boundary. More, in Danish

E

Ejendomsdatarapport property data report

A collected report of public information about a property, ordered at boligejer.dk. Typically used as a first overview in a transaction. More, in Danish

Ejerfortegnelsen the register of owners

The authoritative register of who owns a property. Access for private companies requires approval. More, in Danish

Ekspropriation compulsory purchase

Forced transfer of property for a public purpose against full compensation. It requires a basis in law and that the measure is necessary. More, in Danish

Etageareal gross floor area

The total area of a building's floors, calculated under the Building Regulations. Inserted decks and mezzanines normally count, which can consume development rights unexpectedly. More, in Danish

F

Fleksibel tilslutningsaftale flexible grid connection agreement

An agreement where consumption or production can be curtailed in periods when the electricity grid is under pressure. It can give faster access to power than a firm connection. More, in Danish

Forhåndsdialog pre-application dialogue

A meeting with the municipality before an application is filed. The municipality advises, but does not decide and cannot give a binding commitment. More, in Danish

Forsigtighedsprincippet prudence principle in property taxation

The rule that only part of the assessed land value is used as the basis when property taxes are calculated. More, in Danish

Fredskovpligt statutory forest obligation

An obligation to keep an area covered by forest. It follows the land rather than the owner, and lifting it normally requires replacement forest elsewhere. More, in Danish

G

Grundskyld land tax

Municipal tax on the land value. It is paid by every property with an assessment, whether or not it is built on. More, in Danish

H

Hjemfaldspligt reversion clause

A condition that a property can be reclaimed at a set time by the seller, typically a municipality, against a fixed payment. Also known as a repurchase clause. More, in Danish

J

Jordforureningskortlægning soil contamination mapping, V1 and V2

The region's registration of land as possibly contaminated (V1) or as established contaminated (V2). Mapping triggers a permit requirement for construction and earthworks, and it is the single most common reason a Danish industrial site takes longer than planned. More, in Danish

K

Kapacitetskort grid capacity map

The grid companies' digital maps of available capacity in the electricity grid. A screening tool, not a reservation of power. More, in Danish

Klimakrav CO2 limit in the building code

The Building Regulations' limit value for a building's CO2 footprint, documented with a life cycle assessment. More, in Danish

Kloakopland sewerage catchment area

The area the wastewater plan designates as sewered or planned to be sewered, and which type of sewerage applies there. More, in Danish

Kommuneplanramme municipal plan framework

The municipal plan's framework for an area: use, plot ratio and height. It binds the municipality, but it does not in itself give a right to build. More, in Danish

Kommuneplantillæg amendment to the municipal plan

A change to the municipal plan, needed when a new local plan does not comply with the existing framework. It lengthens the timeline noticeably. More, in Danish

L

Landbrugspligt agricultural obligation

A note in the cadastre that a property must be farmed. It is typically lifted by a surveyor's declaration when the land is to be used for something else. More, in Danish

Landinspektør chartered surveyor

The only professional who may carry out cadastral cases such as subdivision, transfer of land and merger, and who sets out boundaries. More, in Danish

Landzone rural zone

Zone status for the open countryside. New buildings and changed use generally require a rural zone permit, which is a discretionary decision and can be appealed. More, in Danish

LER register of utility owners

Ledningsejerregistret. The register you query to find which cables and pipes lie in the ground in an area before digging. More, in Danish

Lokalplan local development plan

The binding plan for a specific area, adopted by the municipality. The plan document itself is what is legally binding, not the register fields that summarise it. More, in Danish

M

Matrikel cadastral parcel

The individual land unit in the cadastre, identified by parcel number and cadastral district. One property can consist of several parcels. More, in Danish

Mezzanin mezzanine

An inserted deck in a tall building. It normally counts in the gross floor area and can therefore use up development rights. More, in Danish

Miljøklasse environmental class

An advisory scale from 1 to 7 that groups types of business by how much they affect their surroundings. The local plan sets which classes are allowed, and this is where a foreign production company most often finds that a plot does not fit. More, in Danish

N

Naboorientering neighbour consultation

The hearing of neighbours before the municipality grants an exemption or a rural zone permit. Neighbours can object, but they do not have a veto. More, in Danish

O

Overkørsel vehicle access to a public road

Access from a property to a public road. A new or altered access requires the permission of the road authority. More, in Danish

P

Plandata.dk the national planning register

The national register of local plans, municipal plans and zone status. Several fields are optional to register, and the plan PDF remains the binding source. More, in Danish

Planklagenævnet the Planning Appeals Board

The appeals body for decisions under the Planning Act. It generally reviews legal questions only, not the municipality's discretion. More, in Danish

Privat fællesvej private shared road

A road on private land that others than the owner have a right to use. Maintenance falls on those entitled to use it, under the Private Roads Act. More, in Danish

R

Risikoklasse fire risk class

The Building Regulations' categorisation of a building section by fire risk. The class determines how extensive the fire engineering documentation must be. More, in Danish

Risikovirksomhed establishment covered by the Seveso rules

A company covered by the Danish risk order because of the quantity of dangerous substances it holds. It triggers requirements for siting and for the municipality's planning. More, in Danish

S

Servitut easement or restrictive covenant

A registered restriction on a property, for example about utilities, building lines or use. It follows the property on sale and is not always visible in the plan. More, in Danish

Statsstøtte state aid

The EU law restriction that prevents public authorities from selling property below market price to a company. It is the reason a municipality cannot simply discount a plot. More, in Danish

T

Tilslutningsbidrag connection charge

A one-off payment to the utility for connection to sewer, water, electricity or heating. It is often charged separately from the plot price. More, in Danish

Tingbogen the land register

The digital register of rights over property: ownership, charges and easements. Full access requires Danish MitID. More, in Danish

U

Udbygningsaftale development agreement

A voluntary agreement where a landowner finances infrastructure fully or partly in connection with a local plan. The municipality may not sell the planning itself. More, in Danish

Udstykning subdivision

The cadastral division of an area into separate properties. It requires a chartered surveyor and the municipality's permission after the subdivision control. More, in Danish

V

VVM environmental impact assessment

Vurdering af virkninger på miljøet, today part of the Environmental Assessment Act. Certain projects must be screened before they can proceed. More, in Danish

§

§ 3-natur section 3 protected nature

A protected habitat under the Nature Protection Act, for example meadow, bog or lake. Its condition may not be changed without an exemption, and the registration is not always accurate on the ground. More, in Danish

Z

Zonestatus zone status

Whether land lies in urban zone, rural zone or summer cottage area. It determines which permits are required before anything can be built. More, in Danish

These are plain-language explanations for orientation, not legal advice and not official translations. The binding wording is the Danish original in the plan, the order or the act. If a term decides your project, have it confirmed by the municipality or a Danish lawyer. The Danish version of this glossary is at arealis.dk/ordbog.

Send one plot for a free check, and we apply the terms above to the land you are actually looking at.