LOGISTICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
[EDIT/LOG: Eijsden, June 28] It was, accordingly, curious that a recent seminar, in Maastricht, on cross-border business parks - the necessary adjunct to these logistical developments - did not have more of a focus on the South Limburg - Liège area, but was oriented largely towards Meuse-Rhine North. This is particularly strange since a partner in the project was Meuse-Rhine’s AGIT, the development company based in Aachen. Essentially, the seminar was looking at the online mapping and access to business parks, using a GIS system. The system proposed (Geodok.de), known as the GI-X business park portal, is GIS-based, updated daily and available in English, Dutch and German. It has a search-engine, which allows you to search for a location, a specific surface area, and also in terms of price per m2. It also provides information on availability and the location’s relation to the transport infrastructure, giving the proximity to airports or highways. It covers zoning regulations and provides maps and the Google Earth facility too. With the current urgent requirement for business park facilities in the Meuse Basin, it would seem to be time to extend this system further south. There is also the price differential, since business parks in neighboring Germany tend to be rather less expensive in terms of Euros per m2.
The pressure of container traffic on Europe’s main ports has led to growth in inland ports, inland waterways and locations for value added logistics - business parks. There is also a concern to make more sensible use of rail transport. The TGV cargo project, between Liège and Paris, is an example of this. Growth at Duisburg, Venlo, Liège and now Genk and Born/Stein, are also evidence of this development. An area under pressure in this context is that of business parks. This can be seen in the focus of development company activities in the province of Liège, for example.
SW