A New Step for Businesses in the 071 Region

On Tuesday, October 19, the implementation plan for the regional strategy for business parks was adopted by six participating municipalities that collaborate within Economie071, the economic partnership for the Leiden region. This practical plan sets out the agreements reached among the various municipalities. One of those agreements is the appointment of a regional coordinator for business parks. Alderman Jacco Knape, Alderman for Economic Affairs for the municipality of Katwijk and chair of the regional steering group for business parks, said: “We live in one of the most densely populated areas in the Netherlands. As a result, there is significant pressure on available space. We want to live, work, and enjoy our leisure time here—and preferably in a responsible and sustainable way. That is precisely why we must invest in a well-thought-out strategy. With this implementation plan, we are setting out how we intend to achieve that.”

Getting Started

To ensure there is sufficient space for entrepreneurs and business activity, the Economie071 Business Parks Steering Committee is appointing an area coordinator. The search for this key figure will begin later this year. In addition, the implementation plan stipulates that a commercial site slated for conversion to residential use must always be compensated for within the region. Conditions for this have been worked out, such as the municipality that relinquishes the commercial site covering the associated costs. Furthermore, sustainability is high on the agenda. To identify where companies see opportunities to become more sustainable and future-proof their businesses, the “Challenge for Future Business Parks” initiative is being launched.

Space for Businesses

The strategy is a joint effort by municipalities and representatives of the business community. Martijn van Pelt (chairman of VNO-NCW Business Rijnland): “Companies in our region are growing, innovating, and need space. We also face challenges ahead, such as sustainability, climate adaptation, and maintaining an attractive, green environment. In the urbanized areas of our region, there is also a growing demand for housing, energy, and other functions. All these developments require space. It is therefore incredibly important to maintain an attractive business climate for companies, with sufficient and future-proof industrial parks. The implementation plan takes this into account.”