Next process step in exploration creating space for businesses

Within Key Region Leiden, we want to cooperate more and take the lead in the development of business parks. A Ruimtelijke Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij Bedrijventerreinen (ROM-B) (Spatial Development Company for Business Parks) is an additional instrument that we are exploring to supplement the current set of instruments. The ROM-B is an instrument to revitalize existing business sites, set them up more efficiently and make more intensive use of the space at work locations. The exploration is a pilot from the Regional Investment Agenda (RIA) of the Holland Rhineland Region. [photo: Marko Hoops]

Of interest

The ROM-B instrument is important to explore because it is still only one of the few opportunities to create space for existing and new businesses on business sites in the Leiden region. The ROM-B could focus on redeveloping existing sites. In this way, new and additional space will become available by building more in height and also densifying.

In conversation with the council

The colleges in the Leiden region discussed the progress of the ROM-B in early December and now want to explore the next steps, including preparing a business case and working out what options there are regarding the necessary organizational form. In doing so, the colleges would like to work closely with the city councils. They are now being informed through a letter in which council members are asked to participate. The municipality of Leiderdorp has indicated that it will pause for a moment at this stage.

Draft versions

Should a next step be taken, the colleges of the participating municipalities want to legally secure the agreements around a ROM-B in statutes and a shareholders’ agreement. To this end, an exploration and coordination has taken place. This has led to draft versions of these documents. If desired, these are also available to council members so that they can get an idea of what agreements might look like.

Investment Fund

Further financial considerations to be made include the execution of business cases and the risks involved. The modus operandi of a possible ROM-B is that the capital required for the execution of a business case will, after delivery of the sites to entrepreneurs, be returned to the intended investment fund. Money made available by municipalities is therefore retained in principle. However, a project may involve an unprofitable top. It is important to know how to act in that case and what role the province can play.

Social goals

Besides densifying, making sites more sustainable and greening them, the fund can also pick up on social goals such as sufficient space for work and jobs, making commercial real estate more sustainable, energy transition and greening work environments. Finally, it is a desire for cooperation to also look at new business sites for which plans are already in place, but for which further planning steps are required.

Pilot region

The ROM-B is a pilot project from the Holland Rhineland Region’s regional investment agenda. Key Region Leiden will therefore receive a contribution from the RIA to carry out the pilot. Should the ROM-B be implemented and be successful within the Leiden region, the intention is to scale up further. Other municipalities may also join.

Decision-making

Decision-making on the ROM-B will not take place until after the elections and is therefore in the hands of the new colleges and municipal councils. To maintain progress, city councils are already being asked for a response now so that preparatory work can be taken up.

• Read the interview with Alderman Jacco Knape (Katwijk municipality), chairman of the business parks steering committee.
• And the interview with Willem Jan Zirkzee, chairman Entrepreneurial Leiden.
• Read more about the background on the project page.