Investment plan for future-proof business parks in South Holland

How do we make business parks in South Holland future-proof? What are the costs and benefits of the necessary interventions? We investigated this for the province of South Holland using a cost-benefit analysis and interviews with municipalities, regions, the province and development companies.

Investment issues in business parks often involve an unprofitable top. Qualitative improvements to business parks only partially generate a return on investment. Our research shows what the unprofitable top is for the five most urgent spatial tasks for business parks in South Holland:

1. Better utilization of existing business parks so that space is used as optimally as possible.
2. A quality impulse for outdated business parks.
3. Accelerating energy transition.
4. Greening of business parks.
5. Boosting the circular economy.

Ecorys has calculated the total costs and benefits of these five tasks in the Province of South Holland. Based on the results, the province can determine the investment strategy for its contribution – and the desired contribution of other stakeholders – to future-proof business parks in South Holland. At the bottom of this article is an example of the costs and revenues for better utilization of existing business parks.

Total task is extensive, but manageable and achievable
Our research report contains an action perspective. After all, not all investments can or should be taken up immediately. It is important to make choices: which (sub)task is urgent in which area? An important overarching precondition for tackling the challenges remains the promotion of collectivity and organization on business parks. Cooperation with municipalities , regions and market parties is also essential. Together it is possible to start a clear lobbying process towards the state, EU and other investors to acquire the necessary financial resources.

Want to know more?
For more information, read the research report in Dutch (pdf). Do you have any questions? If so, please contact Luc Heestermans.

An example of the costs and revenues for better utilization of existing business parks

By better utilization, we mean optimizing the use of space by relocating or phasing out area-foreign functions, by redeveloping obsolete and/or vacant real estate, or by intensifying the use of space.

The table below gives an indication of the better utilization of business sites with a higher environmental category (hmc, from environmental category 4.1) The non-profitable top for better utilization of hmc sites amounts to approximately € 15 million per year for the whole of South Holland. This results in a better utilized area of over 47 hectares by 2030.

Table 1: Indication of the costs and revenues of better utilization of existing business parks.

This calculation does not take into account intensification by increasing the fsi (floor space index). For example, through more intensive use of space (for example, in building height), addressing 47 hectares of business parks can result in converted 60 hectares of space for works. This results in higher revenues and a lower unprofitable top.