A former industrial estate near HelmondÂ's city center will be completely transformed over the next ten years. The project requires an investment of EUR 450 mln.
After a thorough clean-up of the possible contaminated soil, houses, offices, high-quality companies and leisure amenities will be developed on the site.
The site, totaling some 25 hectares, borders on to the closed part of the Zuid-Willemsvaart canal. In the past this used to be the location for textile factories, such as Hatema. The municiplaity is coopperating with the Van Wijnen Groep and architect Sjoerd Soeters.
The new district will comprise some 1,000 houses, mainly owner-occupied. The municipality would also like to see the development of conference and fair facilities.
Presently the very last industrial buildings are being demolished. It is expected that next year the possibly contaminated soil will be sanitized. The project should be finished by 2012.
(sopurce: Helmond, De Telegraaf)
