Harelbeke (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Evolis business park expands by 20 hectares in Harelbeke, creating space for 8 to 10 companies as regional authorities push for economic and industrial growth.
Between Evolis and the De Pluim business park, the new location will be fully on Harelbeke’s property. Evolis II will span 20 hectares and house eight to ten businesses.
As a result, the new business park is almost half as large as the existing one, which can house eighteen businesses.
“Certainly in South-West Flanders, but actually in the entire province, there is a need for business parks,”
Says Wout Maddens, chairman of Intercommunale Leiedal, which is realizing the project.
Additionally, the new business park will bring additional jobs to the area.
“We are targeting companies with regional roots and international appeal. Innovation, but also the employment aspect, will be a criterion. And the architecture is also important, we want to create a beautiful business park with good bicycle connections and lots of greenery.”
“Based on these criteria, we will make an initial selection of candidates in September who can submit a proposal from now on. During the information session yesterday, there were about 30 interested parties. Based on that, we can assume that there is a lot of interest.”
The precise number of jobs involved will depend on the number and type of businesses that finally set up shop on the site.
“A total of 1,500 employees work at Evolis I and De Pluim. So the development of Evolis II will undoubtedly also boost employment.”
Next year, construction will begin. In two years, the first businesses are supposed to be able to relocate to the new location in Belgium.
What are the key aspects of the expansion?
Due to its proximity to key traffic arteries and the Kortrijk-Oost motorway interchange, Evolis II enjoys exceptional accessibility. This enables effective freight movement and logistics without putting a strain on the centers of Zwevegem, Harelbeke, or Kortrijk.
The park maintains the strict selection standards of the original Evolis with the goal of drawing in only top-tier, valuable companies. The goal of this strategy is to create a creative atmosphere that appeals to driven professionals.
Supporting endogenous growth and offering relocation options to companies that have outgrown less suitable or non-zoned premises are two reasons why the expansion is deemed necessary. Additionally, it’s a reaction to the current business parks’ near-completed inventory, guaranteeing the region’s economic sustainability.
