Merel Holtkamp

Merel Holtkamp joined VBK as a lawyer in May 2018 and also as a partner in January 2026. Together with Alrik Bijkerk, she leads the Administrative Law and Environmental Law teams.

Merel has been practising law since 2013, specialising in administrative law and in particular environmental law. She combines in-depth legal expertise with a practical and solution-oriented approach, with an eye for the social and administrative-political context in which her clients operate. 

Merel advises and litigates on a variety of issues within spatial administrative law. For instance, she is involved in wind parks, solar parks, housing locations and retail developments. She also deals with administrative law enforcement cases.

She works for public authorities, businesses and private individuals and knows how to navigate between their diverse interests. She regularly advises municipalities on scarce permits and municipal regulations, such as housing regulations.

From initiative to realisation of projects, she provides added value, with an eye for avoiding delays and legal bottlenecks.

The Environment Act, which came into force on 1 January 2024, is an important part of her practice. Merel closely follows developments in this field and translates them into concrete advice and solutions for her clients. She regularly gives lectures, workshops and courses, and publishes frequently on topical issues. With the Environmental Law team, she has written more than 60 blogs on the impact of the Environmental Law since October 2021 (available in Dutch only).

Expertise

• Law concerning the physical environment
• Environmental law
• Regulation and enforcement
• Public order
• Municipal law
• Spatial planning
• Energy transition and sustainability

About Merel

Merel graduated cum laude from Utrecht University, where she also completed the Legal Research Master. In 2020, she completed the GROTIUS specialisation course in Environmental Law, also cum laude.

Merel is a member of several professional associations, including the Administrative Law Association, the Environmental Law Association (VMR) and the Environmental Lawyers Association (VMA).