Groundbreaking ceremony for Nieuwe Bunders Business Park: room for new economic growth in Maasmechelen
The official groundbreaking ceremony today marks the start of the development of the first phase of Nieuwe Bunders Business Park in Maasmechelen. This approved phase covers 29 hectares. Provincial Deputy Tom Vandeput and Mayor Raf Terwingen officially launch the project together with the project partners: the municipality of Maasmechelen, POM Limburg, LRM, Landexplo, Aertssen Group and Bouwbedrijf Keulen H. The new business park offers space for companies looking to grow, produce and invest, with an estimated 500 to 1,000 jobs expected to be created.
Nieuwe Bunders Business Park is strategically located in the south of Maasmechelen, between the E314, the N78 and Opgrimbie, opposite the existing Oude Bunders industrial estate. Its proximity to the E314 motorway junction and connections to the rest of Flanders, Liège, Dutch Limburg and Germany’s Ruhr region are major advantages for companies operating at regional and cross-border level.
Economic boost for Maasmechelen
Nieuwe Bunders creates additional space for companies with substantial land requirements and aims to attract new investment, economic activity and sustainable employment to Maasmechelen and the wider Maasland region.
‘Today, we are taking an important step towards the economic future of Maasmechelen. We are creating space for companies that want to invest and grow here, while generating new economic activity and employment. Our strategic location also gives us a significant advantage. Nieuwe Bunders should therefore become a driver of economic growth for Maasmechelen and the entire Maasland region,’ says Raf Terwingen, Mayor of Maasmechelen.
High-quality space for companies with growth ambitions
Nieuwe Bunders is aimed at larger companies with substantial land requirements and a regional or wider-than-regional presence. The minimum plot size is 5,000 m².
The Provincial Spatial Implementation Plan (PRUP) provides space for production, goods processing, research and development activities, certain circular activities and logistics functions, among other uses. Each business project is assessed by the allocation committee against the applicable land-use and permit requirements.
The business park will be developed as one cohesive site, with modern infrastructure, high-performance utilities and a carefully planned access road network. Efficient land use, thoughtful building placement and high-quality architecture are central to the development of the business plots.
‘With Nieuwe Bunders, we do not simply want to create additional square metres of land for businesses. We want to provide space for companies that intend to invest sustainably, grow and create employment here. This is precisely the kind of high-quality economic development Limburg needs. As available land becomes increasingly scarce, we must use it particularly carefully. Nieuwe Bunders offers the scale and location needed to give companies with substantial land requirements a future in our province,’ says Provincial Deputy Tom Vandeput, who is also Chairman of POM Limburg.
Build-to-suit: a business premises fully tailored to individual needs
An important distinguishing feature of the business park is the build-to-suit principle. The construction partners Landexplo, Aertssen Group and Bouwbedrijf Keulen H. are responsible for developing and constructing the future business premises, which will be tailored to individual requirements. Rather than constructing a predetermined standard building, the starting point is to create business premises that reflect the company’s specific economic activities, space requirements and future plans.
‘A company should be able to focus primarily on its own growth and activities. That is why, at Nieuwe Bunders Business Park, we do not start from a standard concept, but from the company’s needs, both today and tomorrow. Through the build-to-suit principle, we translate these needs into business premises tailored to the company. We manage the entire construction process: from the initial idea and plans to permits, construction, site supervision and completion. For the entrepreneur, this means one partner and one integrated process, from the initial idea to new business premises,’ explains Gaetan Gorremans on behalf of the construction partners.
Future-oriented and sustainable infrastructure
A new business park also has an impact on its surroundings. For this reason, Nieuwe Bunders Business Park is being developed not only with economic growth in mind, but also with attention to the sustainable development of the site. Additional green spaces and water retention basins will be integrated into a carefully designed landscape. The quality of life in the surrounding area, particularly Opgrimbie, is an important consideration.
A key priority is to keep heavy goods traffic out of the residential areas of Opgrimbie as much as possible. The plans therefore include new access roads and safe cycling infrastructure.
A green buffer consisting of native shrubs and mature trees will be created between the business park and the adjacent buildings. This will provide visual screening and a green transition towards the residential area. The spatial plan stipulates that this buffer must be established and managed as a single entity.
Archaeological research reveals thousands of years of history
Phased archaeological research is being carried out ahead of the development of Nieuwe Bunders. During the trial trench investigation, more than 21,600 m² was excavated within an area of approximately 17 hectares.
‘We recorded around 80 archaeological features, including pits, postholes and storage pits. The oldest pits probably date back some 4,000 to 5,000 years. We also found even older flint tools, as well as traces from the Iron Age and the early Middle Ages. These discoveries show that people used this part of the Meuse plain during different periods,’ says Petra Driesen of the archaeological company Aron.
