The port of Zwolle has the ambition to grow. But the space available for this in the ports of Kampen, Meppel and Zwolle is limited. That is why the port manager will also look to see if land can be found in neighbouring municipalities. For example, for companies that are connected to the port, but do not necessarily have to be based on the water.
Port of Zwolle He speaks of a “modest gain in space”. Through smarter and more intensive use of existing industrial areas and through restructuring and conversion, a maximum of 35 hectares of space could be gained in the ports of Kampen and Meppel. In Zwolle, these works would yield a maximum of around 12.5 hectares. This is clear from a recently presented study. Arcadis and Ecorys carried out this, in cooperation with TU Delft, on behalf of the port of Zwolle. The total area of 47.5 hectares represents less than half of the space required over the next 25 years to develop existing companies and attract new ones.
100 to 150 hectares required
Previous research – conducted by the STEC Group in 2022 – showed that the three ports together have additional space requirements of 100 to 150 hectares by 2050. This is essential for independent growth and to take advantage of new opportunities, as set out in the ambition document at the end of 2022. Port of Zwolle, heading towards the future.
A number of steps were then planned to find the required space:
- Best use of existing business land
- Restructuring and transformation of industrial areas
- Cooperation within and outside the region
- Expansion of industrial wetlands in the region
complex and expensive
In the new research, Arcadis and Echoris conclude, Smarter use of space, densification of industrial areasBy restructuring and converting existing industrial areas, no more than 47.5 hectares can be obtained in the ports and 27 hectares in the other (dry) sites. “These solutions have proven to be complex and expensive, and the hectares are fragmented and not available in the short term in terms of planning,” says the port of Zwolle, an additional problem that is not unimportant.
There is little to be gained from making better use of existing sites. There is little land available within ports, and often not of the required size. “The possibilities for densification of existing businesses – doing more in the same area – also seem limited,” says the Port of Zwolle. “Here and there, more height, width or depth could be built, which would benefit existing businesses. But that does not help attract new activity.”
In Kampen, for example, it is possible to obtain a limited area in Zuiderzeehaven and Haatlandhaven, with a total area of around 23 hectares. But the researchers say that the development costs of these lands are high. It is about at least 156 million euros. There are limited returns: 41 million euros.
Big ambitions
But the ambitions are big. Zwolle, Kampen and Meppel want to become a sustainable and sustainable region for the future, and the Joint Port Authority wants to achieve energy transition, climate adaptation, greening, circularity, economics and growth space for entrepreneurs. “We have to look at creating a new space outside the current sites,” concludes the Port of Zwolle. This is followed by a completely different option: “… modifying certain ambitions.” But they don’t want that.
For this reason, the Port of Zwolle will not only look for smarter and better use of the existing space, but will also consult with regional parties on spatial cooperation within and outside the region. Although Arcadis and Ecoris state that the possibilities for saving space are limited and the costs are high, the research agencies still recommend working on this with other companies and authorities.
The Port of Zwolle says it is pleased that the research by Arcadis and Ecorys has identified the current situation and the potential. For the port authority, it is nothing more than a starting point. Based on the report, the Port of Zwolle will discuss the opportunities and potential with companies, stakeholders and other interested parties. The port authority wants to give the cooperation a “more detailed model”.
sliding space
According to the Port of Zwolle, the restructuring sites are promising. “This does not only look at the individual companies and sites in the port, but looks at it as a whole as a puzzle. This creates a ‘graded space’ and makes improvements possible: companies can get the place and space they need and in the place that suits them best.”
But this takes a long time and a lot of money. According to the researchers, redevelopment will be possible only if it is combined with logical moments of business development and (voluntary) relocation or in cooperation with landowners.
In the search for the required space, research is also being conducted into the possible expansion of the ports in Zwolle, Kampen and Meppel. The Port of Zwolle will continue to consult with the port and surrounding industrial areas. There may be opportunities to accommodate companies that want to be close to inland ports but do not depend on a loading and/or unloading dock.
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