Brownfield redevelopment: A business approach for regional collaboration

Abstract

Several problems can be distinguished when studying the general process of redevelopment of industrial areas in The Netherlands. Due to these problems - and combinations of these problems - redevelopment process fails or is severely delayed. In this article, an entrepreneurial approach for reconstruction of industrial areas in The Netherlands is advocated. The approach is based upon an explorative research project, examining relevant urban district development cases in The Netherlands and Sweden. Within this integral approach, all the aspects of the whole site are completely taken into account. This means that both the problems in public and private areas are addressed. The solutions need to be geared to one another and address the interests of all involved stakeholders. Thereby, we distinguish six major stakeholder groups: National Government, Province, Municipalities, Local Entrepreneurs, Investors and Development Companies. It is interesting to notify that there are three different governmental agencies involved, each having its own policy targets and rule-sets. An ideal typical public-private 'regional development company' (RDC) is proposed and outlined for a specific region, located in the Province of Noord-Brabant in The Netherlands. A major feature in this approach is the involvement of a number of different municipalities, each of them characterized as shareholder, similar to the local entrepreneurs. This research result was brought into a simulation experiment, testing the lay-out of the business organization. The outcomes of the experiment - showing an ideal design of a development company which can create an integral approach for restructuring industrial areas - are interesting and contribute to ongoing discussions concerning stagnating redevelopment of brownfields and industrial areas in The Netherlands. © 2010 WIT Press.