Report on the business meeting at the Apeldoorn Zuid business park

During the evening, around 60 to 70 business owners discussed the future of the business park amongst themselves and with the local council. The key question was:

How can we work together to ensure that Apeldoorn-Zuid remains an attractive, accessible and sustainable place to do business in the future?

The meeting generated a wealth of ideas, points for consideration and tips. We will use this input when drawing up the Future Plan for the Apeldoorn-Zuid business park.

The plan for the future

During the meeting, the local authority presented:

• the draft ambitions
• the postcards
• the proposed measures

These sections can also be found on the project website: Future Plan for the Apeldoorn Zuid Business Park | Apeldoorn City Council

We will share information about the next steps and the adoption of the final plan for the future via:

• Future Plan for the Apeldoorn Zuid Business Park | Apeldoorn City Council
• Apeldoorn Zuid Works – BKA Zuid.

Collaboration in Apeldoorn-Zuid

A unified image

The new joint corporate identity was presented during the meeting. From now on, this will be used for communications relating to projects on the business park.

The corporate identity reflects the long-standing partnership within the Apeldoorn Business Association (BKA), which has been active in Apeldoorn-Zuid for over thirty years. Further information can be found at Apeldoorn Zuid Works – BKA Zuid

Projects and initiatives

Various partners gave presentations on projects and services for entrepreneurs, such as:

• landscaping of the industrial estate
• Working Landscapes of the Future
• the Business Energy Centre
• energy surveys
• ConceptLab
• Powerful SMEs
• Smart & Sustainable Travel

Entrepreneurs provided valuable input and shared their experiences and ideas.

Get involved and make a difference

Not all business owners are aware of the projects currently underway. Within BKA-Zuid, there has been an active group of business owners for many years who volunteer their time to support the development of the site.

Entrepreneurs are warmly invited to join this partnership and play an active role in shaping its direction. This will keep you informed of developments and projects and enable you to influence future plans.

New BKA-Zuid board

Councillor Nick Derks called on business owners to join the new board of BKA-Zuid. This will further strengthen the organisation.

Are you interested? If so, please contact Wendy Blom on 06‑24710231

Ideas and points for consideration raised

During the meeting, we gathered a great deal of practical feedback. Below is an overview by theme.

 Working and living environment

• Business owners find it difficult to combine different sustainability initiatives, such as green roofs and solar panels, even though subsidies and advice are available to help them do so.
• The council’s Zuid office building is regarded as a good example of sustainability and greening initiatives.
• Several companies see opportunities to make their sites greener by removing hard surfaces.
• There are already plenty of ideas, but they are often only put into practice when buildings are refurbished.
• Entrepreneurs want to see examples of companies that have already started greening their own premises.

Use of space

• Many business owners have questions about space and the possibilities for building or renovating.
• There is a need for active support from the local authority, for example in the following areas:
  • renovation plans
  • licence applications
  • making the most of innovations and grants

Accessibility and safety

• Road safety is a key priority.
• The locations mentioned that require improvement include:
  • Lange Amerikaweg
  • Curaçao
  • Wilmersdorff
  • the two-way cycle path on Lange Amerika and Landdrostlaan

Energy and the circular economy

• The ‘Energiekoplopers Apeldoorn / Epe’ initiative is regarded as valuable. It provides a platform for business owners to share knowledge and experiences.
• Tenants are often dependent on property owners when it comes to making their homes more sustainable. It is therefore important to engage in dialogue with owners.
• Small-scale consumers can use an Earn-E to gain an insight into their energy consumption and to identify standby power consumption.
• Some companies are working on new forms of energy generation. Collaboration with other local companies offers opportunities for the future.
• Cooperation between small and large consumers is not currently possible, which sometimes limits initiatives.

Be part of a strong and future-proof business park

Would you like to find out more or play an active part in making Apeldoorn-Zuid more sustainable and stronger? If so, you can join BKA-Zuid, take part in current projects or get in touch via Apeldoorn Zuid Works – BKA Zuid.