At a joint kick-off event held on Monday, October 16, at the DSV Road GmbH in the `Zunderbaum` industrial area, the Saarland Ministry of Economic Affairs and gwSaar Saarland Economic Promotion Corporation presented the new Saarland-wide brownfield cadastre.
Economics Minister Jürgen Barke: `Saarland is in transition. The transformation of the location progresses and we must now use all of its potential. This requires space and areas. The settlement of companies thus requires a forward-looking land policy. Regarding site and project development, the conversion and use of former industrial surfaces is a valuable resource to foster economic progress in Saarland. Crucial in this context: an early knowledge of emerging potential is gaining importance. We do not want areas to lie fallow undiscovered for 20 years, but we want to initiate a subsequent use before a business is closed.`
Even where the transformation drives companies out of the market, you have to intervene early and accompany the transformation process, says Barke. `This means supporting the takeover of areas and halls in a structured way, thus assuring a smooth transition to future-oriented industries.` Here, gwSaar plays an important role. Through its annual survey of the area potential, it has a comprehensive overview of the land potential in Saarland. Since 20 years, the results obtained have been serving as an essential basis for the economic development business of gwSaar.
Thomas Schuck, Managing Director of gwSaar: `gwSaar is the first point of contact for companies and investors looking for an area to become relocated in Saarland. The need for brownfields, as well as their acceptance, has grown much in recent years. With its comprehensive cadastral register, gwSaar can now quickly and effectively match all potential areas in Saarland with the requirements of companies and investors and offer them suitable brownfields and greenfields. This is also interesting for Saarland companies that have unused operating areas. As a central point of contact for brownfields, we can include them in our land register, advise on future prospects and establish contacts with interested parties. So, old areas can be converted into subsequent use more rapidly. A win-win situation for all parties involved.`
Hanne Jensen, Senior Sales Director DSV Road Germany and member of the Management: `We, too, had benefited from the excellent work of gwSaar seven years ago and were able to develop a great location here. At that time, we were facing the challenge of merging our three branches in Saarbrücken and Saarlouis and creating room for growth. We thus welcome the plan to develop additional areas here in Saarland and to go on making the business location attractive and successful.`
In the context of gwSaar´s annual survey carried out in the communities, brownfield potential and unused commercial areas (brownfields) are specifically queried. In completion of gwSaar´s own area survey, aerial photos across Saarland from different years were systematically analyzed together with a specialized service provider. On the photos, vehicle movements, increased green growth and developments in the condition of buildings (especially roofs) can be recognized and compared. The results are verified, among other things, by comparing them with company directories (e.g. company insolvencies). So, brownfields and underused sites are identified. These brownfields shall be increasingly used as alternative locations to greenfields in gwSaar’s settlement business or be transferred to another subsequent use.
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