Belgium – Architectural and related services – Renovatie van het oud bedrijventerrein N47 - Voortraject en voorbereiding - aanstellen studiebureau

The N47 business park in Zele is one of the oldest business parks in the Dendermonde region and is the main employment location within the municipality. With more than 100 established companies, the site plays a key role in the economic dynamics of Zele as an economic hub on the Gent–Antwerpen axis. Despite this important position, the business park faces a series of structural bottlenecks: outdated infrastructure, fragmented ownership structure, low visual quality, poor spatial cohesion, limited attention to sustainability and energy efficiency, a suboptimal mobility network, and a lack of vision for park management. An integrated redevelopment and revitalisation is therefore necessary to make the business park future-proof and to evolve it into a climate-neutral business park.

The goal of the project The project is co-financed through a subsidy from VLAIO, and implements the Decision of the Flemish Government of 19 July 2019 on the allocation of support for the (re)development of business parks. The project aims to develop a concrete action plan that is supported by the stakeholders involved and provides direction for the future redevelopment and management of the site. For more information about this subsidy, please visit https://www.vlaio.be/nl/subsidies-financiering/herontwikkeling-herinrichting-van-bedrijventerreinen. The project consists of: • a feasibility study in which the technical, organisational, financial and legal bottlenecks are investigated and solutions are proposed; • a process management in which the coordination and cooperation with the various stakeholders (including owners, companies, municipality of Zele, VLAIO, VOKA, infrastructure managers, utility companies, etc.) are organised and supported. The assignment explicitly aims to achieve: • a supported vision for the redevelopment (masterplan) of the site; • an action plan with financial, legal and organisational underpinning; • a proposal for the layout (e.g. visual quality plan), including attention to greening, water management, energy supply and mobility; • a proposal for further management, collaboration and process organisation.

Complexity and challenges The redevelopment of the N47 business park is complex due to, among other things: • the size and location on both sides of the N47; • the high occupancy rate and lack of expansion possibilities; • the fragmented ownership structure; • the absence of existing allocation, management and maintenance plans; • the presence of diverse functions (industry, trade, housing, leisure); • the interweaving with adjacent residential areas and the lack of green buffers. In addition, the plan must take into account changed policy frameworks at the Flemish, provincial and municipal levels, increased climate ambitions, and the need for circular and sustainable space use.

Final goal of the assignment The ultimate goal is to achieve a business park that: • is climate-neutral, with attention to CO₂-neutrality, greening, water buffering, renewable energy and biodiversity; • is adapted to the effects of climate change and focuses on sustainable space use; • forms a safe, accessible and attractive workplace for entrepreneurs, employees and visitors.