Cato Blankenstein

Cato has been working at La Gro Geelkerken attorneys since February 2021, after working at the Netherlands’ Council of State’s Administrative Jurisdiction Division for just under seven years. She specialises in environmental law and has a specific interest in spatial planning law. Cato represents both public authorities and companies in cases on zoning plans, environmental permits, and enforcement of environmental law. Cato has a critical mindset and a meticulous approach. Her many years’ experience at the Netherlands’ Council of State have given her a great ability to assess and weigh opportunities and risks in a case.

 Expertise

• Environmental law
• Spatial planning
• Environmental permit
• Enforcement
• Administrative (procedural) law

Background and other work

• 2013, Leiden University (Master’s degree in Constitutional and Administrative Law)
• Member of the Administrative Law Association
• Member of the Environmental Law Association
• Member of the Young Bar at the Supreme Court of the Netherlands

Recent cases

• Spatial planning: zoning plans, land development plans, crisis and amending legislation, zoning plans with extended scope (regional surroundings plans), provincial environmental bylaws.
• Environmental permits: large-scale and small-scale residential construction, expansion of (agricultural) businesses, scheme allowing a building plan to deviate from a zoning plan, scheme allowing a public authority to deviate from a zoning plan.
• Local authority: parking policy, housing regulations, target group regulations, permanent occupancy of recreational properties, enforcement of environmental law, operating permits.
• Environmental law courses: regional surroundings plan and environmental permit, transitory environmental law.