EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Renovation of old power station for creative sector

Renovation of old power station for creative sector - Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Introduction

The municipality of Rotterdam stimulates employment growth. The accommodation of companies within the growing film and audio-visual sector and the commercial creative sector contributes to this policy. This sector is underrepresented in the Rotterdam region. It is a growth sector that gives an impulse to the regional economy. The Lloydkwartier district, a former industrial harbour area, contained several vacant buildings, which is why it was chosen as the site for the business centre.

Description

Create job opportunities by developing a business centre that offers accommodation to start-ups and young companies active in the film and audio-visual sector and the commercial creative sector. The accommodation of RTV Rijnmond is an important part of the project.

Approach

In the Lloydkwartier, existing buildings have been redeveloped and new-construction projects have been carried out. These buildings provide accommodation to companies from the film and ICT sector. Film and ICT companies are clustering around the former power station on Lloydstraat in particular.

Results

The former power station has been transformed into a creative melting pot where businesses and artists within the ICT sector work. The businesses and artists concerned find the combination of commercial and creative sectors to be extremely inspiring. This mix of art and economics is expected to yield long-term and innovative cooperation.

Resources used

European subsidy: € 1.930.900
Total cost: € 7.723.600

EU involvement

This project has been partially funded with Objective 2 funds. Since 2000 nine cities have been eligible for the Objective 2 Urban Areas in the Netherlands programme, which forms part of the European Fund for Regional Development (EFRD) of the European Union. EFRD is one of the four Structural Funds of the European Commission. The programme helps cities to carry out projects that benefit disadvantaged areas.

In the Netherlands, total European Objective 2 subsidies concern 192 million euros. 4.25% of the Dutch population lives in the selected areas.

The European Commission prescribes that for every euro from the EFRD, a minimum of one euro must be contributed from the government. The cities must therefore add their own public or private funding to the European subsidy. The European programme is linked to the urban plans agreed within the context of the urban policy of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. For this, the cities can make use of funds that have been allocated to them in the context of the national urban policy.

Contact info

Rotterdam Delfshaven - local programme management
Phone: +31 10 2441751 / 2441755

Project start date

01/12/2003

Links

City of Rotterdam

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment > Urban economy

Keywords

Specific sectors