Without intervention, the lack of commercial sites in Flanders could force companies out of the region, warned the Flemish business organisation, Voka, on Monday.
According to Voka, there are currently only 531 hectares of sites available for businesses. These could be entirely used up in two years, the organisation warned.
Furthermore, the available sites are unevenly distributed, with more than half located in Limburg province, whereas regions like Waasland and East Brabant already face severe expansion constraints.
Available plots are often "too small for realistic expansions or to attract new investment projects," Voka highlighted in a report.
According to the organisation, in the most conservative scenario, businesses in Flanders would need 259 hectares of commercial space each year up to 2050. This poses a significant challenge, as only 200 hectares of space have been made available since 2017.
Voka emphasised the necessity for measures to address this issue. New sites must be created "primarily where the need is highest," and inactive sites need to be made available. Although there are theoretically 2,690 hectares of unused industrial or commercial land, they remain practically unusable due to "various restrictions hindering economic development," Voka noted. The organisation calls for an analysis of each site.
Without additional industrial land, businesses will be tempted to relocate, Voka warned. In Northern France, for example, plans to release 800 hectares for industrial activities in the coming years. "Flemish companies have completed 62 investment projects in Northern France in recent years, resulting in 1,400 new jobs there," it added.
Lastly, Voka advocates for delaying the construction shift by ten years. While Flanders aims to take no net additional space by 2040, Voka suggests adopting the 2050 European deadline.
"The Flemish government urgently needs to provide additional space for businesses according to our economy’s needs," said Voka CEO Hans Maertens in a press release. "Future prosperity and employment can only be achieved in a favourable investment climate where companies are literally given more space."
