Rødbyhavn and Næstved/Vordingborg have been selected for the government's 'Red Carpet' scheme. This means that both areas will become part of the state industrial parks, which will pave the way for faster establishment of large industrial investments.
The mayor of Lolland Municipality, Holger Schou Rasmussen, calls the selection an important recognition of the local efforts to exploit the potential around the Fehmarn Belt connection.
- That both the plans for the business park on Lolland and in South Zealand are included in the Red Carpet scheme underlines the importance the state attaches to the opportunities in the upcoming fixed Fehmarn Belt connection and the prospect of creating increased growth and development in Eastern Denmark. Both business areas, with their location close to the Copenhagen-Hamburg axis, have the potential to create thousands of local jobs. With the government's decision, the way is now open for both Danish and international investments to benefit the development in South Zealand and Lolland-Falster, he says.
For Lolland, however, a final decision on industrial park status will only be made once there is clarity on how the tunnel element factory and the work harbour will be organised in the future. These facilities were established in connection with the construction of the Fehmarn Belt connection, and the agreement parties agree on this approach.
Holger Schou Rasmussen does not see it as a problem:
- It is a mere formality. I have discussed it with Morten Bødskov. Formally, the state owns the area, so if warships were to be produced, there would be no industrial park. But then something else will come, he says.
Increasing international interest
The director of Femern Belt Development, Stig Rømer Winther, also sees great prospects in the designation:
- The decision aligns well with the great and increasing current interest we see from international investors and developers. This was most recently expressed at the international investor fair Expo Real in Munich, where I have never before experienced such great attention regarding the opportunities related to the Femern Belt connection, he says.
According to Stig Rømer Winther, it is especially the corridor from Køge down towards Lolland that attracts attention:
- Both business parks are distinguished by their close proximity to the European motorway and railway network, he says.
Ready to get started
The area at Rødbyhavn is an extension of the already established tunnel production area, and therefore contains a well-established infrastructure, which makes it possible to quickly start establishing new businesses.
- The decision will leave its mark for many years to come. The potential to transform the business structure in Lolland-Falster and eastern Denmark is enormous. We are talking about creating thousands of jobs and a solid economic foundation for the region for the next 50 years. Now we can really speed up the process, and we are ready, says CEO Mikkel Wesselhoff, Business Lolland-Falster.
