PAPERS 45 INDUSTRIAL ESTATES: LOCATION TRENDS AND ACCESSIBILITY

PRESENTATION out the implementation of the Catalan exclusive uses. Nevertheless, and despite Mobility Law instruments, particularly the the fact that this has been a general trend, From an academic perspective, as well as Mobility Plans for industrial estates and to date we have little information about from the point of view of professionals, the fi gure of the Mobility Manager. where these industrial estates are located, governments and economic agents how many there are, the area they cover in involved, there is a general consensus In the third article, Margarida Castañer and hectares and how much of this land area is regarding structure and location of Antoni Ferran review the conclusions of available. Similarly, there has been little in- economic activities as the objects of the 3rd Conference on Territorial and Urban depth research into what we know about great changes in recent years. The so- Planning Environmental Assessment. The the kinds of businesses located in these called industrial estates, seen as areas of Conference goals were to come up with areas beyond merely classifying them functional specialization, have been and effective ways to apply the European along with industry. still are the ones in which these territorial Union Directive 2001/1452/EC to the changes of the economic-productive conception of new areas of economic The following article is an attempt to system arise most clearly. Understanding activity, to establish environmental and refl ect the current situation concerning the them and thinking on their characteristics, landscaping criterion to guide the selection defi cit of information on these issues from on the activities that settle in them in an and design of their site and, lastly, to the analytical perspective of supply and intensive manner, and on how to plan, launch the challenge of collaboration demand of industrial estates in Catalonia1. design and manage them, becomes between different Administration levels This study starts from the basis of three essential to develop urban and territorial in order to enable the development of hypotheses shared by the academic world, planning policies and economic strategies. supramunicipal economic areas. institutions and social representatives. The fi rst hypothesis is that these spaces The publication of the four articles The issue is closed by a fourth article can no longer simply be identifi ed as included in this 45th issue of the PAPERS in which Juli Esteban refl ects about industrial areas because they also include magazine can be regarded as an attempt the capacity, the tools and the ways in logistics and commercial enterprises to contribute to this necessary refl ection which physical planning can infl uence the and services in general. Therefore, focusing on the 1.750 industrial estates dynamics of location of industrial estates. throughout this article we will use the located in (according to the Starting with the defi nition of a set of term industrial estate in its broadest Census of Industrial Estates in Catalonia guiding principles that seek to promote sense, that is as an area where business 2005-2006, developed by the Institut coexistence with other activities and to enterprises are located on land classifi ed d’Estudis Regionals i Metropolitans de rationalize their settlement, the author as industrial, tertiary or mixed. The second Barcelona). refers the spatial and temporal diffi culties hypothesis, which follows from the fi rst, that arise when a range of territorial plans refers to the fact that the characteristics The location of these economic areas, attempt to establish guidelines for the of these economic activities are no the variety of situations resulting from choice of sites, sizes and mixed-used longer incompatible with residential their size, site and land availability, as well patterns, as well as to impose an urban uses; in consequence, the ideal situation as the prospect of fl oor demand, are the model of concentration and proximity. In of locating them in industrial estates subjects analyzed by Carme Miralles- order to go beyond these diffi culties he segregated from urban fabrics has to be Guasch and Carles Donat at the opening of proposes some planning techniques, such re-thought, above all taking into account this monograph. This fi rst article unravels as the regulation of the spatial distribution that this location increases competition the results obtained by two quantitative of both already-known processes and for land use and may make diffi cult the sources created in order to overcome the unexpected opportunities for the siting of siting of other businesses that do need lack of information about local industrial new activities. to be located in these areas. Finally, the estates: the aforementioned Census third hypothesis states that the distribution (which includes location, delimitation, size of industrial estates in Catalonia is, and occupation data) and the Sample of generally speaking, overly dispersed Industrial Estates in Catalonia 2005-2006, INDUSTRIAL ESTATES IN and fragmented, the outcome of a lack which informs of the activities that can CATALONIA: AN ANALYSIS OF of coordination between municipalities, be found at those estates. The analysis of SUPPLY AND DEMAND which poses diffi culties when it comes to offer/demand dialectics here is based both siting businesses that require a large areas on these quantitative data and systematic, of land. Carme Miralles-Guasch qualitative information gathered in in-depth interviews to relevant experts in the fi eld. Carles Donat When it comes to studying industrial estates, there is a lack of homogeneous The second article, by Àngel Cebollada, and detailed information for Catalonia is about the unresolved matter of the Introduction as a whole. In an attempt to address accessibility to industrial estates. Given this, three sources of information have the acknowledgement that the relocation With the passing of time, the location been devised: two of them quantitative, of industries to the urban periphery has of economic activities has been a census and a sample of industrial occurred without taking into account the governed by various lines of reasoning estates; and one qualitative, a corpus of workers’ accessibility needs, a resulting and circumstances. At present, and for in-depth interviews. The Cens de polígons situation characterized by a severe quite some time now, town and city d’activitat de Catalunya 2005-2006 shortage of collective transport offer, councils have been trying to situate (Census of industrial and tertiary estates in in which the car appears as the most these businesses in industrial estates in Catalonia 2005-2006) began with sending effective mean, is outlined. As a way to suburban areas, often isolated from the out a questionnaire with a map to those correct or straighten it, the author points traditional urban fabric and set aside for local councils with industrial, tertiary or

INDUSTRIAL ESTATES: LOCATION TRENDS AND ACCESSIBILITY / 89 mixed land, so that they could identify come from a variety of areas ranging from they cover. At the same time, for each and defi ne their industrial estates. This municipal management to the academic area we explain the relationship between approach provided satisfactory responses world, and including various institutions industrial estates and the territory based from 102 local councils. This data source that study manufacturing sector dynamics on three factors: location according to size, was complemented and contrasted with in general and industry in particular. An their site in relation to urban centres and others, the most important being the data in-depth interview is a qualitative social other industrial estates and the level of base generated by the Pacte Industrial research technique that allows one land taken up. The relationship between de la Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona, to develop an in-depth dialogue with the industrial estates and urban centres which was used for 104 municipalities. individuals who are an integral part of the has lead us to consider a threshold of 200 In other territorial areas where no second population being studied. An interview metres distance between them so as to source was available, we made use of is understood as a “communicative be able to differentiate between those layouts of municipalities, databases process” though which one can “extract” which are segregated and those which, from other local authorities (regional and information from someone (in this case in contrast, are closer or could even be local councils), institutions (Chambers of an expert on the topic under study). considered appended to or an integral part Commerce), and from the Institut Català The aim is to generate a discourse on a of an urban centre. Also the relationship del Sòl (Catalan Land Institute) -being the specifi c line of argument (high degree of between the industrial estates themselves most important sources consulted. Taken fl uency and not pre-coded, as opposed to has led us to consider them as territorial as a whole, this group of data sources questionnaires), which allows the person phenomena with a physical continuity from local administrations and institutions being interviewed to give their opinions and which can make up “business areas” was used for 367 municipalities, 78.9% about the topic one wishes to analyse. As or, alternatively, classify them as isolated of the total of the municipalities covered regards this study, the interview began if they are distributed in a fragmented by the census. Urban planning ones from an initial minimal script on predefi ned manner. According to these characteristics were used for those areas not covered topic areas with no pre-established order, one can speak of segregated, integrated, by these sources; this was the case for through which the focus of this research concentrated or isolated sites. 81 municipalities, 17.4% of the total of was broached based on the personal the municipalities covered by the census. experiences, opinions and expectations In 2006 there were 1,748 industrial From these sources, those that were of the person being interviewed. These estates with an area greater than 0.5 consulted most, in order of priority, were: interviews were carried out between hectares covering 32,240 hectares, which planning sectors (46 municipalities), February and April 2006 and totalled corresponds to approximately 18% of followed by general municipal planning 14 hours of recorded conversations. The the urban and development land4. The (25 municipalities), and fi nally the Sistema transcriptions of these interviews have metropolitan area of Barcelona is the d’Informació Territorial del Planejament allowed us to analyse the most important territorial area where the largest number Urbanístic (Urban Planning Territorial issues related to the supply of and demand of industrial estates is concentrated, Information System) (10 municipalities). for industrial estates. 712 (40.7%). In second place we have The information obtained from the and Comarques planning sectors was contrasted against This article is divided into three sections Gironines with 329 and 287 industrial orthophotomaps. In cases where and is a response to the information and estates (18.8% and 16.4%, respectively). sectors are an extension of an already analysis carried out for each of the Next in order we have existing area of economic activity, the three aforementioned sources, which and Àmbit de , with 176 and 159 two areas have been grouped together are summarised and contrasted in the industrial estates (10.1% and 9.1%, to make one industrial estate. Finally, conclusions. In the fi rst section, based respectively). Then fi nally, we have Terres in the municipalities where none of the on the data from the census, we analyse de l’Ebre and , with 61 aforementioned sources were available, a some of the principal factors associated and 24 industrial estates (3.5% and 1.4%, morphological criterion was applied. Thus, with the supply side of industrial estates respectively – see fi gure 1). However, this industrial estates were located by means in Catalonia: location, dimensions, siting order changes seen from the perspective of applying visual photointerpretation with respect to population centres and of the total gross surface area taken techniques based on the 1:25.000 to the rest of the industrial estates, and up by the industrial estates. While the orthophotomaps by the Institut fi nally, the degree of land availability. In Metropolitan Area remains in fi rst place Cartogràfi c de Catalunya (Cartographic the second, based on the information with 15,623 hectares (48.5%), second Institute of Catalonia)2. This criterion was collected in the sample, we analyse what place in order of total gross surface area used for a total of 17 municipalities, 3.7% constitutes demand, placing particular in Catalonia is Camp de Tarragona (5,030 of the total of the municipalities covered emphasis on the consequences of hectares - 15.6%) with Comarques by the census. changes in the structure of the economy Centrals (3,666 hectares - 11.4%) and vis-à-vis demand for space in industrial (3,669 hectares The second quantitative source, la Mostra estates, and also on territorial differences. - 11.4%) rating third. Àmbit de Ponent de polígons d’activitat de Catalunya Finally, in the third section we present an (2,717 hectares - 8.4%) remains in fi fth 2005-2006 (Sample of industrial estates analysis based on the in-depth interviews, place although the gross surface area here in Catalonia), allowed for gathering which provides a complementary is closer to that of Comarques Gironines information about the different types of perspective to the previous two sections and Comarques Centrals. Finally, Terres businesses found in industrial estates. detailing pertinent factors according to the de l’Ebre (1,376 hectares - 4.3%) and Alt Information was collected from the perceptions and opinions of the experts Pirineu i Aran (158 hectares - 0.5%) remain questionnaire sent to local councils in themselves. in sixth and seventh place respectively. which they were asked to specify the percentage of land taken up by each of the These differences between the number following branches of business: industry, 1. Industrial estates in the territory: of industrial estates and the total gross transport and warehousing, retailers, location, site and land availability surface area they cover can be explained wholesalers, services for people, services by looking at them according to their size provided for companies, and others. According to the data obtained in the and comparing the distribution between census carried out during 2006, there each of the areas. As fi gure 2 illustrates, In order to obtain a clearer idea of the are approximately 1,750 industrial in Comarques Gironines and Comarques supply of and demand for industrial estates estates in Catalonia. In this section their Centrals there is a very high percentage of in Catalonia, we deemed it appropriate to characteristics are analysed according small and medium sized industrial estates, carry out in-depth interviews to provide a to a breakdown of the place where they 67% and 68% respectively. In contrast, qualitative analysis based on the opinions are found by territorial area3, and also the percentage fi gures for medium-large of various qualifi ed experts. These experts according to size and the surface area industrial estates are lower (35% and

90 / Papers 45 / 32%). In the Barcelona metropolitan area this graph reveals a second level of land – General Metropolitan Plan) area, the and Camp de Tarragona, the percentage availability in Camp de Tarragona, where majority of the industrial estates are an distribution of industrial estates according there are 2,300 hectares with take up appendage to, or integrated into, the to size is almost identical. Around 80% levels below 25%, and among these, more urban stretches. In contrast, in the more of the industrial estates are situated in than 500 hectares are unoccupied. Next peripheral parts, as we have already seen, the medium-size range (with and equal in order, we have Comarques Centrals, the industrial estates are located in a more breakdown, 40% and 40%, between the Comarques Gironines and Àmbit de disperse and fragmented manner, and in medium to small and medium to large Ponent, with approximately 1,300 hectares addition they tend to be segregated from industrial estates) and a little over 10% for with take up levels below 25%. Finally urban centres. the extremes (small or large). As regards we have Terres de l’Ebre with some 600 percentage fi gures for small industrial hectares with take up levels below 25%. Analysis of the site of the industrial estates estates, these are well below those for In Alt Pirineu i Aran, where there are few in the metropolitan area of Barcelona Comarques Gironines and Comarques industrial estates, there are approximately allows for concluding that in the PGM Centrals, particularly in the latter case, 65 hectares with take up levels below area a specifi c global view in the form of where they account for almost 20%. In 25%. supra-municipal level planning, has led to Àmbit de Ponent, almost half the industrial a confi guration of the territory where the estates are medium-large (48%), and this The differences in the intensity of urban industrial estates are generally grouped is the second area where the medium- and metropolitan development in each into “business areas” that are contiguous large industrial estates are in the majority. of these territorial areas explain the to the urban fabric. In contrast, for the In contrast, there are very few large differences in terms of distribution and rest of the area, the development of land industrial estates and account for only the take up levels in industrial estates in for businesses has led to a distribution of 5%, one of the lowest fi gures. Finally, the Catalonia seen in the tables given earlier. industrial estates which are fragmented medium-small industrial estates make Similarly, if we take a closer look at each and/or segregated from the urban up 36%, a fi gure that is slightly lower area we can see that the questions of networks. Exceptions to this are the than those for the rest of the areas. A location and site of the industrial estates traditionally industrial cities (Sabadell, characteristic feature of Terres de l’Ebre have their own distinct characteristics. Terrassa, Mataró, Vilafranca and Vilanova) is a signifi cant level of medium-large and other locations where, because of land sized industrial estates - this is the area development dynamics, they have ended where they are more predominant, 53%. 1.1. The metropolitan area of up confi guring industrial estate and urban In addition, the fi gure for large industrial Barcelona centre continuums (C-17 corridor to Vallès estates is 12%, in contrast to the fi gure The 712 industrial estates in the Oriental). for small industrial, 5%. In Alt Pirineu i metropolitan area of Barcelona cover Aran, where the total number of industrial 15,623 hectares, which means If one looks at the availability of land, in estates is signifi cantly lower than the rest approximately 20% of urban and the metropolitan area of Barcelona, there of the areas, the characteristic features development land for this area. As can is a high percentage of industrial estates here are the fi gures for medium-large be seen in map 1, the vast majority are with a high take up levels: more than sized industrial estates (67%) and the located in Vallès Occidental, half, 394, have take up levels above 75% absence of large industrial estates. The and Vallès Oriental regions, following (fi gure 4). Nevertheless, this is the area in result of this distribution is that in the Camp the main corridors between Barcelona Catalonia with the most land available, as de Tarragona, Terres de l’Ebre and the and the Pre-littoral Depression. If we there are 156 industrial estates (a quarter), metropolitan area of Barcelona, industrial take a closer look at the site and analyse that add up to 3,787 hectares, with a take estates cover a higher average surface the spatial relationships between them, up level below 25%. Among these, the area (28.6 hectares, 22.6 hectares and we can see two opposing phenomena. predominant feature is medium-small 21.9 hectares, respectively) as opposed On the one hand, in the major corridors, and medium-large industrial estates. In to Àmbit de Ponent (17.1 hectares), and where a majority of the industrial estates map 1 one can see that large industrial particularly Comarques Gironines and are located (Llobregat corridor, Besòs- estates with available land are located Comarques Centrals (12.8 hectares and Mogent-Congost corridor, and the C-58 within the PGM area: Delta del Llobregat, 11.1 hectares, respectively). In last place corridor, Riera de Caldes, Riera de Rubí), Centre Direccional del Vallès and the we have Alt Pirineu i Aran where the there is a confi guration of as many as Polígon Can Sant Joan. From among the average surface area taken up by industrial 17 major “business areas”. On the other largest industrial estates in the rest of the estates is 6.6 hectares. hand, one can also see an opposing metropolitan area of Barcelona one should tendency of fragmentation, the outcome also note the “business areas” to the Whether one considers the number of of the industrial estates being isolated south of Terrassa, and the Vilafranca del industrial estates or the total gross surface from each other. Generally speaking, these Penedès industrial estates. Medium-large area, the result is that in all the areas there are small and medium sized industrial industrial estates with land availability is land available. As can be seen in fi gure estates and the majority are located in the are, in the majority, located in the second 3, in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, more peripheral spaces of the metropolitan ring of the metropolitan area, while the there are many industrial estates with a area of Barcelona: to the north of the AP-7 majority of the smaller industrial estates high level of land taken up, although it is in Alt Penedès region, on the Serralada are found in the medium and small sized the area which has most land availability. Pre-littoral slopes in Vallès Occidental and municipalities of the second ring, above Accordingly, on the one hand there are particularly in Vallès Oriental and in some all in Alt Penedès and the Vallès Oriental 250 industrial estates with more than 90% of the municipalities. regions. take up and around 125 with take up levels which are also quite high, 76%-90%. On If one looks carefully at the site, from 1.2. Comarques Gironines the other hand, however, there are more the perspective of the distance between than 150 industrial estates take up levels industrial estates and population In Comarques Gironines there are 287 below 25%, and among these, all the land centres, one can see how 70% of the industrial estates with a gross surface is available for 40. The availability of land in industrial estates in the metropolitan area of 3,669 hectares, which means the metropolitan area of Barcelona is even area of Barcelona are an appendage to, approximately 13% of the urban and more visible when we look at the graph or integrated into, the urban fabric. The development land. Generally speaking, showing the total gross surface area; rest are segregated, that is, they are at a they are located following the structure we can see that there are almost 3,800 distance of more than 200 metres from of the urban system. Thus, the most hectares with take up levels lower than urban centres. In the aforementioned important ones are found around Girona 25% (2,500 with take up levels 1%-25% major “business areas”, and in general (map 2) and Figueres, followed by the and 1,300 unoccupied). Further reading of in the Pla General Metropolità (PGM rest of the region capitals: Olot, Banyoles,

INDUSTRIAL ESTATES: LOCATION TRENDS AND ACCESSIBILITY / 91 la Bisbal d’Empordà, Ripoll, and Santa region, from el Vendrell to the Barcelona in the triangle comprising the municipalities Coloma de Farners. The concentrations of metropolitan area limits, following the of Tortosa-Roquetes, Amposta-Sant Carles industrial estates in la Jonquera, Blanes N-340 and AP-7 road corridors. de la Ràpita, and l’Aldea-Camarles (map and Palafrugell should also be stressed. 4). The remaining areas with noteworthy In the small population centres there are If one analyses the site in greater detail, concentrations are located in the southern concentrations of small and medium sized taking into account the spatial relationships and northern extremes of this area: to the industrial estates which provide support to between the industrial estates, one can south, the municipalities of Ulldecona, local businesses. see that there are a considerable number Alcanar and la Sènia; and to the north in of concentrations that make up “business Ascó, Flix, Gandesa and Móra d’Ebre. Taken When analysing the site, it should be areas” in the metropolitan area of as a whole, the industrial estates in Terres noted that there are 202 industrial estates Tarragona-Reus (map 3). This phenomenon de l’Ebre cover 1,376 hectares, which (comprising 70% of the total) that are can be found as much around the port of corresponds approximately to 17% of the more than 200 metres from one or other Tarragona and the large petro-chemical urban and development land for the area. population centre. The phenomenon of complex as well as along the principal segregated industrial estates, as is the case road network infrastructure (T-11, AP-7), If one looks closely at their site, one can here, is quite widespread throughout the and around the urban centre of Reus. see that of the 61 industrial estates in entire area and is found as much around Another noteworthy feature, given its size, Terres de l’Ebre, 38 (accounting for 62% of the major cities as well as the rest of the is the petro-chemical area between the the total) and 71% of the total gross surface municipalities. One can also see that, municipalities of Constantí, Perafort and el area, are at a distance of more than 200 generally speaking, they are isolated from Morell; and the Constantí industrial estate. metres from one or other population centre. each other. So, a characteristic feature As can be seen in map 4 (the triangle of site of industrial estates in Comarques A particular feature of Camp de Tarragona, comprising Tortosa-Roquetes, Amposta- Gironines is segregation and fragmentation. more so than in any other area in Catalonia, Sant Carles and l’Aldea-Camarles), the is the large number of industrial estates industrial estates, generally speaking, Figure 5 illustrates that in Comarques segregated from the rest of the urban are segregated from the urban networks Gironines there is a signifi cant level of land fabric. This is the case for 128 industrial and quite fragmented, with the exception availability in their industrial estates, since estates, comprising 73% of the total. The of the two concentrations closest to the almost half have take up levels below 50% great majority of these industrial estates urban centres of Tortosa and Roquetes. and, furthermore, among these there is are located outside the municipal limits In general, all the industrial estates are a signifi cant number of industrial estates of Tarragona and Reus, where the urban located at a very short distance from the with take up levels ranging between 1% development has not been as intense. main road network infrastructures (AP-7, and 25%. Availability of land is a particular The distance from population centres N-340, N-235, C-42 and C-12). A diverse feature of medium sized industrial estates is particularly important in the case of set of circumstances can be seen in the and is illustrated by the large number some municipalities and the rest of the territory. Accordingly, some of medium-small and medium-large Constantí industrial estate (the latter in industrial estates are grouped together industrial estates with take up levels in the the metropolitan area of Tarragona-Reus). forming small “business areas”, mainly at a 1%-25% range. It is the small industrial In Montblanc and to the east of the Baix short distance from the population centres estates which show the highest levels Penedès region, from Vendrell to the (Ascó, Mora d’Ebre, Perelló). However, of saturation, since 42 of the 51 existing Barcelona metropolitan area limits, the in other areas where there is more than industrial estates have take up levels existence of segregated industrial estates one industrial estate they are located in greater than 50%. Another feature that is due to their site along the road corridors an isolated manner (Ulldecona, Sènia). should be noted is the availability of land (N-240, N-340 and the AP-7, respectively), Finally, in other municipalities, where there in the large industrial estates. Even though which are found at a certain distance form is only one industrial estate, it is located at they are fewer in number in this area, 8 of the population centres. a signifi cant distance from the population the 15 located there have take levels below centre (Gandesa, l’Ametlla de Mar). 25%. In Girona (map 2) and Figueres, the In Camp de Tarragona almost two thirds two principal urban networks where the of the 176 industrial estates have take up In Terres de l’Ebre industrial estates there largest industrial estates are concentrated, levels below 50%, which corresponds is more land available than taken up. there is land available in industrial estates to more than 70% of the total gross Almost two thirds of the industrial estates of all sizes. In the remaining regional capitals surface area. As can be seen in fi gure 6, have take up levels below 50%, which and in the coastal municipalities, the land availability is apparent for industrial corresponds to almost three quarters of industrial estates with available land in estates of all sizes. A particularly the total gross surface area. As can be the medium-sized range. In Santa Coloma noteworthy feature is the large number seen in fi gure 7, land availability is a feature de Farners and la Bisbal d’Empordà, the of medium-large sized industrial estates for industrial estates of all sizes, and predominant feature is medium-large that are unoccupied or with take up levels particularly prevalent in the large number of sized industrial estates with take up levels within the 1%-25% range. There is also medium-large sized industrial estates with ranging from 26% to 50%. One will fi nd a considerable number (22) of medium- take up levels below 25%. Bearing in mind these same take up levels in the medium- small sized industrial estates with take up the generally high degree of land availability, small sized industrial estates in the Olot levels below 25%. From among the large the small industrial estates have the highest and Ripoll urban networks, and in the industrial estates, it should be noted that level of saturation, since 15 of the 21 in medium sized ones in Banyoles and the more than half (12 of the 23) have take up the area have take up levels above 75%. coastal municipalities. levels below 25%. Small industrial estates, Available land can be found throughout the smallest in number for this area, are almost the entire territory, both in the those with the highest level of saturation triangle comprised by Tortosa-Roquetes, 1.3. Camp de Tarragona of land use, since 16 of the 21 existing Amposta-Sant Carles and l’Aldea-Camarles The 176 industrial estates located in Camp small industrial estates have take up levels (map 4), as well as the remaining regional de Tarragona cover 5,030 hectares, which above 75%. In general, available land is capitals. Móra d’Ebre and Móra la Nova are corresponds approximately to 19% of located throughout the area, as much in the only exceptions: the land take up level the area’s urban and development land. If the metropolitan area of Reus-Tarragona for these municipalities in all the industrial one looks at the location, one noteworthy (map 3) as well as the rest of the territory. estates is above 50%. feature is the major concentration in the Tarragona-Reus metropolitan area. In the 1.4. Terres de l’Ebre 1.5. Comarques Centrals rest of the territory the main locations are in the municipalities of Valls, Montblanc In Terres de l’Ebre there are 61 industrial The 329 industrial estates in Comarques and to the east of the Baix Penedès estates, the majority of which are located Centrals cover 3,666 hectares, which

92 / Papers 45 / corresponds approximately to 19% of In Comarques Centrals there is a great population municipalities: Ponts, Artesa the urban and development land for the deal of land availability in the industrial de Segre, Maials, l’Albí, Vinaixa and Sant area. The industrial estates in Comarques estates. Even though the number of Guim de Freixenet. Centrals are mainly located on the three industrial estates with less than 50% take major plains in the areas (Pla de , up account for 38% of the total number, When analysing the site of the industrial Plana de Vic and Conca d’Òdena), the total gross surface areas is equivalent estates, it should be noted that there is a generally speaking following the structure to 46%, almost half of the area total. particularly high percentage of industrial of the urban system. As can be seen in fi gure 8, there is land estates segregated from urban fabrics. available, above all in intermediary-sized This is the case for 114 industrial estates, A characteristic feature of the site of the industrial estates. Particularly noteworthy which account for 72% of the 159 industrial estates in Comarques Centrals is is that there are 41 medium-large sized located in this area and this high fi gure that it has the second lowest percentage industrial estates and 38 medium-small is attributable to a variety of factors: of industrial estates segregated from the sized industrial estates with take up in general, at the planning stage, the urban networks (after the metropolitan levels below 25%. If we single out the industrial estates have been located at area). In total there are 186 industrial medium-small sized industrial estates as a considerable distance from residential estates, 57%, at a distance greater than a whole, the most numerous in the area, development land, and in many cases 200 metres from one or other population there is a very signifi cant number with these plans have still to be put into effect. centre. It can also be seen that, generally high levels of saturation: 83 with take up One should bear in mind that municipal speaking, they can be found close to the levels above 75%. It should also be notes areas in Àmbit de Ponent, are larger in main transport network infrastructures. In that the small industrial estates are those size that in the rest of Catalonia, and some cases, this site is due to relief factors, with the highest take up levels. Finally, in generally speaking the relatively fl at. particularly in the regions of Solsonès, the few large industrial estates located These features, combined with the trend Berguedà, to the north and to the south of in this area, one can fi nd a wide range of to locate industrial estates at a distance Bages and to the southeast of . That circumstances, from industrial estates from population centres, has meant that in is, the parts of the territory which are not with high levels of land availability (4 with many cases they have been located on the situated on the major plains of the area. a take up level lower than 25%), to others extreme limits of the municipality, with the Accordingly, the industrial estates (and with high levels of saturation (4 with take paradoxical situation that, in some parts also the main transport infrastructures) are up levels above 75%). If we look closely at of the territory, they border on population located in the river-beds of the principal land available according to the location and centres of neighbouring municipalities. river networks (Llobregat, Anoia, Cardener). the size of the industrial estate, one can One also needs to bear in mind that many see differences. As can be seen in maps of the business enterprises located in On the Pla de Bages and Conca d’Òdena, 5, 6 and 7, in the main urban systems these industrial estates are related to the the site of industrial estates reveal some (Manresa, Vic, Igualada) land availability agro-industry and highly incompatible with similar characteristics (maps 5 and 6): is particularly prevalent in medium and residential uses, hence the situation where within the municipal limits of the two large sized industrial estates. In the two the industrial estates which house these capitals, Manresa and Igualada, the other region capitals (Solsona and Berga), businesses have to be located a long way industrial estates are located in a concentric land availability is prevalent in medium- from population centres. In other cases, manner around the population centres, large industrial estates. In the rest of the the proximity of the farming exploitation in the spaces closest to the access territory the situation varies considerably, has become a determining factor when it infrastructures to municipalities (radial) or and there is land available: at the two comes to their site. in a circumvolutory manner (concentric). extremes, Sant Vicenç de Castellet- In the rest of the municipalities which Castellgalí and in Avinyó, there is a wide As regards the spatial relationship make up part of the urban systems of variety of industrial estates with available between industrial estates, one can see Manresa and Igualada, the industrial land; in Balsareny the predominant feature two opposing phenomena. On the one estates are located very close to the main is medium-large sized industrial estates; in hand there are large “business areas”, a road network (the Llobregat motorway Jorba large industrial estates and in Torelló feature which is found in the three major intersection with the Eix Transversal at medium-sized industrial estates. Finally, concentrations of industrial estates to the Manresa and the A-2 at Igualada), but as it should be noted that the polarities with east of the municipality of Lleida and the opposed to what has happened in the two less land availability are Manlleu, Calaf and two areas around the Alcarràs-Torres de capitals, they are at quite a distance from Prats de Lluçanès. Segre intersection on the N-IIa. This is the population centres. The industrial also characteristic of urban development estates of Sant Fruitós de Bages, in Tàrrega, where fi nd the areas’ fourth 1.6. Àmbit de Ponent Santpedor and Sallent in the Manresa most important of “business areas”, and urban system, and the industrial estates The 159 industrial estates located in Àmbit in Cervera, Agramunt and Bellpuig, among of Jorba and Castellolí in the Igualada de Ponent cover 2,717 hectares, which the remaining polarities at a regional and urban system, illustrate the segregation of corresponds to around 22% of the urban sub-regional level. On the other hand, industrial estates from population centres. and development land for the area. The along with the development of “business industrial estates in Àmbit de Ponent areas”, one fi nds the opposite state On the Plana de Vic, the municipality of are mainly located following the urban of affairs, that is, fragmentation. Good Vic is of particular importance both in system structure, very close to the main examples of this would be the urban terms of the number of industrial estates road transport network infrastructures, system of Mollerussa, Balaguer, and Bell- as well as the total gross surface area particularly the A-2 intersection and the lloc d’ (the latter being part of the they cover. Here the location of the Lleida urban system ring road network Lleida urban system). industrial estates follows the model for (LL-11, N-240, N-230, C-12, C-13, N-IIa). Manresa and Igualada, that is, set up in a There is a major concentration of industrial In Àmbit de Ponent more than half of concentric manner around the population estates in the Lleida urban system (map the industrial estates have take up levels centre, in the spaces closest to the access 8), both in terms of number and total gross below 50%, which illustrates that there is infrastructures and by pass routes. In the surfaces area. Moving out, the Mollerussa a considerable amount of land available rest of the municipalities of the Vic urban and Tàrrega urban systems are located at in the industrial estates. As can be system, and the region in general, a second level. At a third level we have the seen in fi gure 9, the availability of land the industrial estates, are generally remaining regional capital urban systems: is particularly prevalent in medium-sized appended to the population centres, Cervera, Balaguer and Borges Blanques. industrial estates highlighted particularly despite there being a signifi cant degree of At a fourth level we fi nd the sub-regional by 36 medium-large industrial estates fragmentation of small and medium sized polarities: Bellpuig, Agramunt and with take up levels ranging from 1%- industrial estates (see map 7). Guissona. Finally, there is a group of small- 25%. Looking at medium-small industrial

INDUSTRIAL ESTATES: LOCATION TRENDS AND ACCESSIBILITY / 93 estates one fi nds both extremes: there is where there is land classifi ed for industrial cities with an industrial tradition in the a substantial amount of available land (36 use, tertiary or mixed. The resulting metropolitan area of Barcelona. This with less than 25%) as well as others with data obtained have been distilled and process is dealt with in 1994, volume high levels of saturation (30 with take up systematised by the IERMB team, from 18 of the journal Papers6. In this volume levels above 75%). Small industrial estates which a sample of industrial estates has various contributors analysed the principal have very high take up levels - almost all been obtained. This sample allows for relocation dynamics of manufacturing of them have land take up levels above analysing data by territorial area5 and, from enterprises ranging Barcelona out towards 75%. From among the few large industrial these, for mapping out cross variables in the rest of the metropolitan area of estates in this area, it should be noted that some cases. Barcelona. The general consensus in these 5 of the 8 found here have take up levels articles underlined how manufacturing below 50%. The distribution of industrial The fi rst idea that should be noted was relocated or “pushed out” from the estates and availability of land in this area from these results is that the traditional centre of the city to industrial estates on varies from one extreme to another. As can operations functions of industrial estates the periphery of Barcelona and the other be seen in map 8, in the main “business are undergoing a transformation. As consolidated Metropolitan cities. area”, to the east of the municipality of can be seen in fi gure 11, in Catalonia Lleida, the take up levels are the highest, industry occupies a little less than half These relocation dynamics of although there are some industrial estates of the land in industrial estates, while manufacturing companies, as is illustrated with less than 25% take up. In the second businesses dedicated to transport and by the data collected during 2006, have and third “business area” for this area, warehousing are becoming more and continued in the metropolitan area of at the Alcarràs intersection on the N-IIa, more prevalent and even the predominant Barcelona with a parallel pattern that has one can see that there is a substantial type of business in some of the more extended to the major cities in Catalonia. amount of land availability in medium-sized recent industrial estates. Both industry Illustrative examples of this are the industrial estates. Land is also available in and transport/warehousing take up transformations in the urban areas of Gran Tàrrega, however, here in the case of large approximately three quarters of the land Via-L’Hospitalet, Badalona and Cornellà industrial estates. In Mollerussa there is in industrial estates throughout Catalonia. (being the most important), part of the land available in industrial estates of all The third branch of business enterprises in urban spread of Barcelona. But this has sizes, while in the rest of the municipalities terms of percentage take up is wholesale also been the case for Lleida, Reus, Olot of the Lleida urban system one can see commerce, accounting for almost 8%. and other cities that have put into practice a strong presence of medium and large Next in order are services provided for policy changes regarding the urban fabric industrial estates with take up levels companies and people, which add up and urban uses, substituting traditional ranging from 26% to 50%. to approximately another 8%. Retail industrial spaces for residential or mixed businesses account for 1.5% of the land. use spaces. 1.7. Alt Pirineu and Aran This land take up is the result of changes Also, during recent years there has been The 24 industrial estates in Alt Pirineu i taking place in recent decades in the a heavy increase in demand for land Aran cover 158 hectares. They are located internal structure and organisation of for logistics use in industrial estates, mainly following the urban system of the business enterprises, which have led to although this has not happened in the area. So, the major industrial estates are in an increase in the presence of tertiary same way throughout the territory of la Seu d’Urgell, Puigcerdà and Tremp. At a sector enterprise (in terms of production Catalonia. As can be seen in fi gure 12, second level we have Vielha e Mijaran. At and take up) and with a resulting loss the main concentrations of logistics a third level we have the other two region of the secondary sector. This, however, enterprises has taken place in Àmbit de capitals (Sort and el Pont de Suert), and continues to be a key element to guarantee Ponent, where 40% of the land is taken other sub-regional polarities (Pobla de economic growth and competitivity. This up with these kinds of companies, and Segur, Oliana, and Bellver de ). transformation of the economy has been in Àmbit Metropolità with a 25% take up Finally, we have two industrial estates, accompanied by territorial dynamics of land. In addition, there are noteworthy one in Prats i Sansor, in la Cerdanya, of decentralisation and dispersion of concentrations, albeit to a lesser degree, and another in Les, in the Val d’Aran. If production throughout Catalonia combined in Comarques Gironines (15%), Terres we take a closer look at the site one can with the relocation of business operations de l’Ebre (12%) and in Comarques see that there are 18 industrial estates, at a world scale. Centrals (11%), not forgetting Alt Pirineu 75%, located at a distance of more than i Aran where there is also a considerable 200 metres from one or other population Industrial estates, as spaces for concentration (above 40%). Despite centre. As regards the availability of land, specialised business enterprises, are the fact that quantifi cation has not been as can be see in fi gure 10, more than half the areas where these changes are possible, it has also been possible to verify have take up levels below 50%, with a most clearly visible. The location of retail the presence of transport and warehousing predominance of industrial estates with and wholesale businesses, services businesses linked to port transit in the take up level within the 1%-25% range. If enterprises for companies and people, Tarragona-Reus metropolitan area based one looks at the data for the entire area, the increase in demand for spaces for on the in-depth interviews. availability of land can be seen in small logistic businesses, the “pushing out” of industrial estates (0.6-1.9 hectares), small- “light” manufacturing companies from In Àmbit de Ponent, such high levels of medium (2-4.9 hectares), and medium the centres of cities, the transformation land take up by logistics enterprises need (5-9.9 hectares, and 10-19.9 hectares). In of old industrial spaces for mixed use to be seen in the light of warehouses and all the municipalities with industrial estates with residential functions in mind, have agro-food stuffs haulage businesses. With there are some with take up levels below transferred competition for land use to recent improvements to the Ebre corridor 50%; the only exceptions being Vielha e industrial estates. In some cases, however, road and rail network and its trajectory Mijaran and Oliana. this has made it diffi cult to consider through Àmbit de Ponent, it is expected traditional manufacturing businesses as that land demand for logistics businesses the main candidates for these spaces. All will continue to increase. 2. Demand for space perspectives in things considered, we are witnessing a industrial estates process of relocation of business activities Generally speaking, as we have already and an increase in logistics and tertiary seen for the metropolitan area of The data given below provide us with businesses, facts which are determining Barcelona, transport and warehousing information about the business enterprises demand for space in industrial estates. businesses occupy one quarter of the land. located in industrial estates in Catalonia. Nevertheless, this percentage changes These have been obtained from a The relocation of manufacturing began in relation to the year the industrial estate questionnaire sent to the local councils in the 1980s in Barcelona and in other came into operation. As can be seen in

94 / Papers 45 / fi gure 13, the more recent the industrial banking facilities, petrol stations, some The objective here is to gather the estate the greater the percentage land hotels and others. At present there are opinions and perceptions of people linked take up for logistics businesses and the many industrial estates lacking in these to industrial estates, either because they lower the percentage for industry. For services, as can be seen in fi gure 14: are responsible for managing them from industrial estates coming into operation approximately 60% of industrial estates one or other local government area, or prior to 1960, the percentage of transport do not have restaurants, almost 90% do because they are experts on this topic. and warehousing businesses does not not have banking facilities, and another even reach 10% of the total, however, this 90% are not provided with other types This qualitative analysis was carried percentage increases to 15% for those of services for companies in industrial out using in-depth interviews and, after industrial estates that opened between estates. In addition, one can appreciate analysis, four main topic areas have been the 1960s and 1980s, and reaches almost differences depending on the territorial determined based on the opinions of 20% for those that started to operate in area, particularly in the case of banking those interviewed and, in addition, some the 1980s. In Industrial estates that have facilities: there is a sharp contrast between proposals for improvements which are been set up and running more recently the metropolitan area of Barcelona, where also given below7. The four major topics (between 1994 and 2006), transport these services are provided in one in are the: economic and territorial dynamics and warehousing companies account for four industrial estates, and the rest of of businesses, supply, characteristics and almost 50% of industrial estate land use, Catalonia, where they are practically non- functions of industrial estates, and demand which indicates that the space demand existent. It should also be pointed out that for industrial estates. for these businesses has increased in there is a serious shortage of services for recent years. The main reason behind industrial estates in Comarques Centrals . Economic and territorial dynamics of this lies in the increase in cargo transit at businesses follow, according to those the Port of Barcelona. Given the growth As can be seen in fi gure 15, the presence interviewed, two tendencies in Catalonia. perspectives of the Port, one can expect of these kinds of services is closely The fi rst, which began some decades that, in the future, demand for logistics related to the size of the industrial estates. ago, is a process moving away from the businesses will continue to grow, both Accordingly, the largest industrial estates urban centres to the periphery of the in the metropolitan area as well as in the have more services than the medium size cities, a phenomenon which is known as bordering regions: Baix Penedès, Anoia, industrial estates, and these, in turn, have relocation. The second tendency, which Bages, and la . more than the small industrial estates. One is more recent and complementary to can conclude that the demand for space the fi rst, is the phenomenon known as Tertiary businesses occupy one fourth of for these services will be determined outsourcing, which is the process of the industrial estates’ land in Catalonia. by the size of the industrial estate under re-siting activities outside Catalonia, in As has taken place in this sector in development. Whatever the case, one benefi t to other autonomous regions or general, there is a diverse range of tertiary has to consider that these businesses even other counties. businesses operating in industrial estates. contribute characteristics to the industrial However, one has to take into account that estate which improve the competitivity Relocation is well-known and common to the presence of these businesses is one of the companies located there, not to all urban areas. This is related to the need of the main factors that have contributed mention the quality of life for the people to move “bothersome” businesses away to increasing competition for land use. who work there. residential areas and to consolidate urban This fact, as mentioned earlier, has caused land space for other uses. This process diffi culties in some cases regarding As stated earlier, there is a third group consists of relocating these businesses location manufacturing businesses. In an among tertiary industry businesses located out towards a city’s peripheral urban attempt to analyse this competition for in industrial estates. These are those areas or else towards smaller population land use, a classifi cation has been made of businesses which do not provide a direct centres in the surrounding areas. What is tertiary businesses based on the kinds of service either to companies or individuals interesting here are the nuances that those manufacturing operations they carry out in that work there, and that, furthermore, interviewed give when assessing the rate industrial estates and location alternatives. do not have characteristics that are of this process. City dynamics move at a Accordingly, three basic different groups of incompatible with residential uses. As can slow pace and even though it may have businesses have been defi ned: those that be seen in fi gure 16, these businesses begun some decades ago there are now need to be located in the industrial estates, occupy approximately 8% of the land in still many medium and small industries those which provide a direct service to industrial estates in Catalonia. On closer occupying land space areas within urban companies or persons that work there; and analysis of the data by territorial area, limits. This situation invites one to believe those located in industrial estates that do one can see that in the remaining areas that this will maintain demand for land no fi t into the two previous categories. the percentages are quite similar and space in peripheral urban areas for some vary between 7% in the metropolitan time to come, because slowly but surely A clear example of tertiary businesses that area of Barcelona and 12% in Comarques small and medium-small sized companies need to be located in industrial estates, Gironines. The exception here is Alt Pirineu are moving away from the consolidated are wholesale businesses. As can be i Aran, where these businesses occupy urban areas of cities. seen in fi gure 11, they take up 8% of the 35% of industrial estates’ land space. land in industrial estates in Catalonia. The location of these kinds of companies Outsourcing is a dynamics of relocating These companies need large surface in industrial estates, from a global companies outside Catalonia, which areas to be able to store merchandise and perspective, has to be seen in the light of a those interviewed attribute to different require good accessibility and access. need for land space for buildings at a lower factors such as the price of land, the Furthermore, they are incompatible, in price, bearing in mind that, as opposed to need for more space, supply of services, the majority of cases, with residential other services businesses, these kinds communications and infrastructures. The use, since they generate quite signifi cant of companies could be located in urban target land implies thinking at different fl ows of heavy goods vehicles to meet centres. territorial levels, even though the most their transportation needs. These are common case is moving abroad - when businesses which are likely to grow in companies decide to move to another the future and, consequently, so will their 3. Qualitative analysis: in-depth country where production costs are much demand for space in industrial estates. interviews lower. Nevertheless, the destination for the new locations is not the only or most The second group includes those As stated in the introduction to this important consideration. According to businesses which provide services to article, the quantitative analysis given those interviewed, the territories most in companies and workers in industrial in the preceding sections have been competition with Catalonia are bordering estates. These are catering businesses, complemented with a qualitative analysis. autonomous communities: Aragón —and

INDUSTRIAL ESTATES: LOCATION TRENDS AND ACCESSIBILITY / 95 the city of Zaragoza, where there is a which are the result of the mixture of Turning to more atypical businesses substantial offer of industrial land and a uses between industrial and residential which can now be found in industrial dry port—, and the Comunidad Valenciana functions. estates, we would like to point out two: —with the city of Valencia, where large the science and technology parks and companies linked to exporting can take As for Baix Penedès, region as a hinge logistics businesses. Concerning the advantage of the seaport. The same between Camp de Tarragona and the former it was stated that, despite having can be said, although not to the same metropolitan area of Barcelona, the grown very quickly and apparently spread degree, for Castile-La Mancha, the coast advantages seen here are related to the all over the territory (linked to universities), of Andalusia and Murcia. Outsourcing AP-7 motorway as a connector between their relative use in terms of percentage manifests itself in different ways according spaces outside Catalonia (Aragon and País of industrial land is very low and therefore to the size of the company: in the case of Valencià), to fl at orographic conditions they do not represent a threat to more large companies this takes the form of a and that they have not reached the traditional industrial land use by the division of operations (production is moved saturation levels of the metropolitan area secondary sector. However, it was pointed away while management stays here), of Barcelona. A little to the south, Camp out that the supply of land set aside for while in the case of small companies the de Tarragona is seen as one of the growing these uses is growing fast. Logistics is one move means the entire production unit. areas with comparable advantages such of the very recent elements introduced Despite the fact that these dynamics show as major infrastructures (port, airport, into industrial estates, a signifi cant all the signs of continuing, some of those motorway) and a network of cities growing trend resulting from global interviewed warned that outsourcing a consolidated by mixed land uses and dynamics, such as the fragmentation and company is a very complex operation availability. Concerning Àmbit de Ponent, specialisation of production processes, and so this phenomenon may not be as the opinion is that there is a generation but also from dynamics at a more local widespread as one might predict. of new industrial land which will be set level. All of this is infl uenced by the aside for logistics, particularly at some strategic position of Catalonia situated The metropolitan area of Barcelona and 25 kilometres from area of the capital between the Mediterranean and the rest Àmbit de Ponent are, according to those Lleida. Reasons given are based on the of Europe. Concerning logistics, they interviewed, the only territorial areas with comparative advantages regarding land also point out some confl icts deriving predominant businesses sectors. In the availability, price and infrastructures, etc. from the perception this kind of business case of the metropolitan area of Barcelona, Within these parameters, the industrial requires a lot of land but generates few the most signifi cant current business sector land in the western areas is seen in jobs, although everyone agrees that this is is the metal products industry, seconded relation to all the development that is going strategic. by textiles, although textiles is a sector on in Saragossa. This city is not seen as a that is clearly in decline. The tertiary competitor but rather as a complementary Of all these transformations and the and quinary sectors, which have come element to all that could happen in Lleida. actual ageing of industrial estates, some forward as a replacements for companies Finally, and located more to the north, problems are appearing particularly in with little added value or sectors in there was mention of potential growth in those built before the 1980s. The oldest, clear decline do not appear to be able to Alt Empordà. at the time of writing, are already in compensate for the loss of companies need of remodelling and modernising and jobs. In Àmbit de Ponent the most The people we interviewed see availability which requires the active involvement important businesses are linked to the of land in terms of its location related to of the local governments and the agro-food stuffs industry derived from the metropolitan area of Barcelona: the companies themselves. The main focus of livestock (abattoirs, the meat industry, further away the greater the availability of remodelling is to improve access both in freeze storage, etc) and handling fruit and land. Taking this factor as a basis, there terms of accessibility within and outside vegetables. All of these take up a large are two variables that impose restrictions as a necessary requirement for industrial amount of land space with the backing of on its use: the short supply of sizeable estates to be competitive and effi cient. a signifi cant logistics sector. parcels of land appropriate for companies On this particular point those interviewed with large land space requirements, underlined the needs of workers to be Opinions regarding the supply of industrial and changes in land classifi cation –land able to get to the workplace in industrial estates focused on areas of major growth programmed for industrial use being estates by public or collective transports potential and land availability, both (as one re-classifi ed for residential use. This re- means. might expect) closely related. The supply classifi cation is being carried out by a of industrial land is not seen as monolithic number of local councils. The price of land, According to those interviewed, the issue at a global level for Catalonia, but however, does not appear to be a decisive change in demand for industrial estates, rather that its analysis by obligation has to factor, although there has been a lobby lies in the type and order of land holding start from its location. The view of those against those who are holding on to land option for industrial estate premises interviewed not only made mention of the expecting land prices to increase. and the infrastructures, while at the quantity of land but also of to the value of same time they attribute this change its relative location in the territory. Another of the key ideas expressed by to transformations in manufacturing those interviewed is that in recent years businesses and companies relocating. All those interviewed concur in the fact business profi les in industrial estates that in the metropolitan area of Barcelona have been changing at the same time In this context one can see a diversifi cation those zones with the greatest degree of that functional aspects have been added of the types of land tenure since, land availability and growth potential are derived from the secondary sector and somewhat tentatively, renting seems to be located in Alt Penedès, Vallès Occidental, linked to services. These changes have gaining ground (as in the rest of Europe) Vallès Oriental and Baix Llobregat, albeit been accompanied by new accessibility as an alternative, albeit for a minority, to with a few peculiar features. Vallès needs, both regarding workers and goods. land ownership. The main advantage of Occidental appears to be one of the One of the most relevant facts, and at the renting is related to reduced requirements regions that offers most attractive to the same time seen as a positive factor, is for tied-up capital. It is in this context business world, while great emphasis the increase in the diversity of businesses that formulations are in the early states, and value is placed on the presence of in industrial estates, which is related to to apply pressure to local authorities to “clusters” (the result of help from the changes in the economy in general and intervene and promote and offer industrial European Union). The experience in this changes in the production structures. estate premises for rent. This needs to region could well extend to Bages and For these reasons, more now than ever, be protected through offi cial legislation Osona, provided that infrastructures are industrial estates are no longer associated or through some involvement by local improved. Baix Llobregat, in contrast, is with industry, particularly those that have authorities, so that certain manufacturing attributed with positive characteristics been created more recently. sectors can have access to this option.

96 / Papers 45 / They also explain that the trend in the facilitate identifying and defi ning what concentration of industrial estates in the profi le of industrial estate premises, are known as industrial estates. These are metropolitan area of Barcelona, there throughout Catalonia, is moving more identifi ed in urban planning legislation is also a substantial park of industrial and more towards small buildings, around according to use (industrial, tertiary and/or estates in the rest of the territory. To 500 m2 or even smaller and of a modular mixed) for the purpose of classifying land, be more specifi c, half of the industrial nature. However, this tendency in no way but in many cases, within these areas estates in surface area are located in the suggests that the demand for large spaces there is more than one industrial estate. metropolitan area of Barcelona, 15% in is disappearing. As a rule, it has been the governments, the Camp de Tarragona, 11% each for particularly local governments and some Comarques Gironines and Comarques The opinions and perceptions concerning institutions, that have delimited the Centrals, 8% in Àmbit de Ponent, 4.3% demand not only refer to land or the industrial estates in the territory under in Terres de l’Ebre and 0.5% in Alt Pirineu industrial estate premises but also to their jurisdiction basing their delimitation i Aran. the infrastructures that industrial estates on the criteria of continuity between the have or should have. Following on from urban fabrics or from the development of The second supply factor analysed this, the main defi cits referred to by those urban planning. The result, however, is that was the availability of land. According interviewed are generally centre on the in Catalonia the study of industrial estates to the data from the census, from the road and energy networks, and they has been based on sources that are neither 32,000 hectares of industrial estates in underline the lack of connections with the homogenous nor exhaustive. Catalonia, 10,000 hectares (one third) Barcelona port and airport. Growth needs have take up levels lower than 25%, and are not only related to the availability This situation is the starting point of this from these approximately 2,700 hectares of land but also to the quality of the article which attempts to compensate for are unoccupied –most of this space infrastructures that can give added value to the aforementioned defi ciencies. Three corresponds to industrial estates in the the territory that goes far beyond the price different sources have been drawn on phase of being set up and running or at factor, given that prices have increased which are mutually complementary, both the project stage. The following is a break everywhere. Finally, it should be pointed in terms of methodology used as well as down by area of land availability given in out, even though this is not a topic that the information gathered. The fi rst source, hectares where take up levels are lower came out in all the interviews, the quality cartographic, has allowed for carrying out a than 25%. First in order is the metropolitan of the environment around the industrial Cens de polígons d’activitat de Catalunya, area of Barcelona which has 3,789 estates is perceived as being a factor that 2005-2006, which with the application hectares with take up levels below 25% is becoming more and more important. of GIS techniques has provided spatial (35.9% of the total land in Catalonia with data related to location, dimensions, site these take up levels). Second, we have Finally, our interviewees pointed out a and land take up in industrial estates. the Camp de Tarragona which has 2,300 series of proposals that revolve around two The second source provides statistical hectares (21.4% of the total for Catalonia). basic ideas: supra-municipal planning of data based on questionnaires answered Third, we have Comarques Gironines, industrial estates and shared management by local governments in Catalonia who Comarques Centrals and Àmbit de of them. The fi rst attempts to resolve have jurisdiction over land assigned Ponent, each having approximately 1,300 current atomising in the site of industrial for industrial, tertiary or mixed use. hectares (each corresponding to 12% of estates in the territory. This is due far too This resulted in the Mostra de polígons the total for Catalonia). These regions often to planning formulated at a local d’activitat de Catalunya, 2005-2006, are followed by Terres de l’Ebre where level, and has serious implications for the with quantitative information about the there are approximately 600 hectares environment, not forgetting accessibility businesses located throughout Catalonia. (5.9% of the total for Catalonia) and, problems and does not allow for suffi cient Finally, by way of a further complementary fi nally, Alt Pirineu i Aran with 65 hectares critical mass. Generally speaking, those source, it was felt necessary to carry (0.6% of the total for Catalonia). The views who were interviewed coincide in pointing out in-depth interviews with experts and of those interviewed concerning land out that the Generalitat (the autonomous people with knowledge in this area, which availability in industrial estates in Catalonia Catalan government and local supra- provided qualitative information concerning centred on their location with respect to municipal government with jurisdiction the reasons and arguments behind the the metropolitan area of Barcelona. In over urban planning), would need to make current situation of the industrial estates in their opinion the further from the capital strategic land reserves so as to be able Catalonia. (Barcelona) the greater the availability of to develop them from a more large and land. Nevertheless, as has been seen, less local level. They also point out the Once all the data was collected and the data obtained from the census do not importance of coordination with local organised, the next step was to analyse appear to corroborate this view entirely. governments. The second proposal refers supply of and demand for industrial estates Almost certainly these differences to shared industrial estate management, which is presented in this concluding derive from two interpretations: for the with the creation of a fi gure who could section, combining quantitative data for metropolitan area of Barcelona, land manage topics that are common to this Catalonia as a whole (to date non-existent) presently being developed as industrial public space: infrastructures and services with feedback from the various agents estates (e.g. the “Parc empresarial de provided for the industrial estates, and mentioned. Supply has been considered Viladecans”) or at the project stage (e.g. complexities common to the companies. in terms of location and surface area, the “Centre Direccional in Cerdanyola This position of industrial estate availability of land in the industrial estates, del Vallès”) are not seen as a supply manager would be adequate both for the and their site in relation to the rest of the component; secondly, the fact that there businesses of the industrial estate and for industrial estates and to urban centres. are many industrial estates with high the Administration, which would have a The basis for analysing demand has take up levels adds to the perception of unique speaker. been the businesses located in industrial saturation (9,000 hectares, more than estates, relating them with the main half, have take up levels above 75%). In tendencies in economic and territorial short, one can conclude that there is a 4. Conclusions dynamics. substantial amount of land available in all the territorial areas and the metropolitan In this article an analysis has been made of The fi rst supply factor analysed was area of Barcelona is the area where most some of the principle elements that have location and surface area of industrial is located. a bearing on the supply and demand of estates. According to data from the industrial estates in Catalonia. This study census, in Catalonia there are 1,750 As has been seen, the availability of land begins from the premise that there is a industrial estates that cover an area of and its distribution throughout Catalonia lack of information resulting from the lack 32,000 hectares. Generally speaking, are factors that need to be highlighted of a specifi c offi cial institution that would it can be seen that although there is a when considering the supply of industrial

INDUSTRIAL ESTATES: LOCATION TRENDS AND ACCESSIBILITY / 97 estates. Therefore, given the current due to relief conditions, based on the as stated earlier, they have led to changes situation, one cannot consider supply to census one can see a sharp degree of in the kinds of businesses that can be be an impediment to developing economic segregation with respect to the rest of found in industrial estates. Accordingly, activities. However, from among the the urban fabric. In total in Catalonia, of industry occupies a little less than half other elements related to supply that the 1,750 industrial estates, half are at a of the industrial estates’ land, and one have been analysed here, it should be distance of more than 200 metres from can predict that the demand for space by stressed that dimensions, in most cases one or other urban centre. Breaking this this sector will not increase appreciably. very small, and excessive fragmentation down by areas, the metropolitan area New demands will be determined by the and dispersion of industrial estates of Barcelona (the area with the highest relocation of manufacturing businesses throughout Catalonia, are perceived by level of urban development) shows (from the centres of cities to the periphery) those interviewed as factors that have a the lowest percentage for segregated and attracting new companies. With this negative impact, not only on the territory industrial estates (30.2% over the total in mind, the main future challenges appear but also on the competitivity of the industrial estates for this area), however to be: remodelling the oldest industrial economy. This view is held by the majority since there is a very large park of industrial spaces, adapting them to the new of those interviewed who, in addition, estates the number is very signifi cant (215 demands for industrial estate premises point out that large industrial estates or segregated industrial estates). Second (smaller format, modular, with spaces for concentrations of industrial estates that in order, we have Comarques Centrals offi ces, and also introducing the option to make up “business areas” are a feature (with 56.5%, 186 industrial estates) and rent) and the profi le of industrial estates of rational land use and the only way to Terres de l’Ebre (62.3%, 38 industrial (services for companies and workers, promote collective transport. From the estates). Finally, we have the areas with development quality and facilities, good census it has been possible to diagnose the highest percentage of segregated access routes). the current state of affairs concerning industrial estates: Comarques Gironines these issues. The fi rst thing that should (70.4%, 202 industrial estates), Àmbit de These opinions are backed up by the data be underlined are the differences in Ponent (71.7%, 114 industrial estates) and from the sample, where one can see that the size of industrial estates between Camp de Tarragona (72.7%, 128 industrial transport and warehousing businesses different territorial areas. Accordingly, in estates). These high percentages are account for one fourth of the land, and Camp de Tarragona, Terres de l’Ebre and generally due to a combination of two are even more predominant in some the metropolitan area of Barcelona, the factors. First, in the general plans, the of the more recent industrial estates. average fi gures for land space occupied industrial estates have been located at Statistical evidence for the presence by an industrial estate are higher (28.6 quite a distance from the urban centres, of logistics companies in industrial ha., 22.6 ha. and 21.9 ha., respectively), leaving space in between to allow estates provide us with a break down as opposed to Àmbit de Ponent (17.1 residential areas to grow, and in most of the most important areas where they ha.), and particularly in Comarques cases these provisions have not been put are concentrated: 40% in Àmbit de Gironines and Comarques Centrals into effect. The second most common Ponent, 25% for the metropolitan area (12.8 ha. and 11.1 ha., respectively). As factor has to do with the location of of Barcelona, and Camp de Tarragona this study has shown, these differences many industrial estates close to main (although the sample did not allow for between areas are also reproduced road network infrastructures at a certain empirical quantifi cation, we were able within each one. Generally speaking, in distance from urban fabrics. Given this, to verify the case for this area from the those parts of the territory where urban the majority of those interviewed, when in-depth interviews). In the fi rst case, the development has been more intense referring to the issue of site of industrial strong presence of logistics businesses one can see concentrations of industrial estates in relation to urban centres, is associated with local agroindustrial estates that make up “business areas”. begin from one premise: the functions companies, while in the other cases this This is the case for the area covered by the of industrial estates have changed is due, above all, to the proximity of two Pla General Metropolità (PGM – Barcelona and many of the businesses located in of the principal Mediterranean ports. Metropolitan Planning), the traditional industrial estates are not incompatible with In all three areas it is expected that the industrial cities in the metropolitan area residential uses. demand for space by these businesses of Barcelona, the metropolitan area of will continue to grow, in one case due to Reus-Tarragona, and some of the other Turning to the perspective of demand for the agroindustrial businesses and in the major urban systems in Catalonia (Lleida, space in industrial estates, the change in other two because of expected growth of Girona and Manresa). From these areas the functions of industrial estates turns the ports. One can expect that logistics one needs to differentiate between PGM out to be a particularly important factor. enterprises will continue demanding area, where the “business areas” are First of all, one needs to bear in mind that space in industrial estates throughout mapped out in the majority of cases from a these changes are determined by the Catalonia since, as pointed out by those supra-municipal perspective, and the rest, main economic and territorial dynamics. interviewed, with the fragmentation and where planning is limited by an individual At present, they are characterised by the specialisation processes of production municipal view. In the other parts of the shift towards tertiary enterprises in the the commercial exchange of goods is territory the characteristic features of economy, the fragmentation of production, becoming more and more commonplace. site of the industrial estates are a high the relocation of businesses inside In general, the logistics sector is seen by degree of fragmentation and being either Catalonia and the outsourcing of business those interviewed as a kind of undesired medium sized (between 2 and 10 ha.) enterprises outside Catalonia. The latter type of activity, especially as one moves or small (from 0.5 to 2 ha.). In short, as process was one of the most predominant further away from the ports of Tarragona regards dimensions and site of industrial issues referred to by those interviewed. and Barcelona. So, although everyone estates, one can talk of supply in terms In general, this is seen as being linked considers this to be a strategic matter, of a diverse range and spread out across more to production costs rather than the they also point out certain confl icts Catalonia, both across different areas and, consequence of land shortage or land resulting from the belief that logistics especially, within each area. With the prices. In contrast to the production costs enterprises require large areas of land but exception of the PGM area, this due to the issue, the quality of the environment generate few jobs. lack of a supra-municipal perspective. around the industrial estates is considered by those interviewed to be an important Finally, tertiary activities account for one An analysis has also been made of the factor for competitivity in order to attract fourth of the land of the industrial estates site of the industrial estates in relation and keep companies there. in Catalonia. One has to take into account to urban centres. With the exception of that the presence of these businesses is areas where urban development has been Industrial estates, as specialised spaces one of the principal elements that have most intense (the PGM area) or where of economic activity, are the areas where caused an increase in competition for the development land is seen as limited these processes are most apparent, and, land use, which in some cases has posed

98 / Papers 45 / diffi culties for locating manufacturing 4 Data source for urban and development land: by car. This is illustrated in the study by businesses. As it is happening in the Direcció General d’Urbanisme. www.gencat. the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona’s sector in general, there is also a wide net/ptop Comissió de Mobilitat del Pacte Industrial1 range of tertiary businesses in industrial 5 The data for Camp de Tarragona (Tarragona Area ) (see table 1): 19% of industrial estates estates. To facilitate analysis of this have not been included as they proved to be of within the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona competition, tertiary businesses have slight signifi cance. and 20% of the land area where industry been classifi ed based on the operations 6 See the article entitled “La ciutat i la indústria” is located are particularly diffi cult to get to (“The City and Industry”). they carry out in the industrial estates if public transport is used. By this I mean 7 For a complete list of interviewed, please see and location alternatives. Accordingly, that the closest inter-urban bus stops or footnote 6 on the Catalan text. one needs to distinguish three business train stations are 1.5 kilometres from the groups: in the fi rst group there are those centre of an industrial estate as the bird which have to be located in industrial fl ies. In contrast, 23% of industrial estates estates, such as wholesale businesses and 26% of the land area where industry which, due to the volume fl ow of goods, ACCESS TO INDUSTRIAL ESTATES: is located are accessible through regular would make them incompatible with UNFINISHED BUSINESS public transport services (PIRMB, 2003). residential uses. These activities account However, these fi gures are somewhat for 8% of the land in industrial estates in Àngel Cebollada optimistic when we take into account Catalonia and it is forecast that demand that the transport services themselves will continue to increase. The second have not been evaluated adequately. By group is comprised of businesses that this I mean that while an industrial estate offer services to companies or workers Introduction could be 500 metres from a train station, in industrial estates. These are catering the trains may only run once every two businesses, banking facilities, petrol Industry has been re-located to industrial hours, or there may be a bus that runs stations, some hotels and others. At estates on the urban periphery without once an hour to an industrial estate where the moment there are many industrial considering how accessible they are for fi ve thousand workers are employed. estates where there is a shortage of workers. There is a severe defi ciency Furthermore, what has not been taken into these services, particularly in the smallest of collective transport systems linking consideration are physical, natural or urban industrial estates. So, one can predict that these industrial estates, and so the car is obstacles that separate the train station or demand for space by these services will effectively the means of transport which bus stop from the industrial estate. be determined by the size of the industrial best guarantees access. This situation estates under development. However, has serious social and environmental Another issue is the minor role played one has to bear in mind that they improve repercussions. To address this situation, by company-operated transport. In the competitivity of the companies located the “Llei de mobilitat de Catalunya” beginning (at the end of the 1960s and there and the quality of life for those (“Mobility Law for Catalonia”) provides for the beginning of the 1970s), the fi rst people who work there also. The third executing mobility plans for its industrial companies to set up business in these group is comprised of those businesses estates and creating mobility managers. industrial estates provided transport for which do not provide a direct service either These two provisions have just begun to their employees, but with the passing of to companies or people, and furthermore be put into practice throughout Catalonia. time this means of transport has been are not incompatible with residential uses. progressively withdrawn. This fact is These businesses account for 8% of the explained by increased car ownership land in industrial estates in Catalonia and, 1. Inaccessible industrial estates among the population, residential generally speaking, their location has to be dispersion, infl exibility of available services related to the possibility of access to more In recent decades Catalonia has witnessed and the gradual externalisation of transport ground space at a lower price. However, a process of re-location of economic costs. At the moment, according to data one should bear in mind that these activities, characterised, to a certain from the survey, Mostra de polígons businesses add to competition for land degree, by focusing services (especially d’activitat de Catalunya, 2005-062 carried use in industrial estates which can pose advanced services) in urban centres and out by the Institut d’Estudis Regionals i diffi culties regarding the locating of other relocating commercial enterprises that Metropolitans de Barcelona3, only 10.3% branches of business. require large land areas, such as industry, of the industrial estates in the Metropolitan to the peripheral urban areas. This is also Area of Barcelona and 7.4% of industrial part of a larger picture, a gradual process estates in Catalonia as a whole have at 1 This article brings together the major of specialised land use according to the least one company that relies on company- contributions from the study entitled “Anàlisi purpose for which it is used, and which operated transport services. de l’oferta i la demanda de polígons industrials i generates unique and physically separate terciaris a Catalunya” (“An analysis of supply and specialised zones. This is precisely the In the light of these statistics concerning demand for industrial and tertiary industrial estates case for the industrial estates which now collective transport, the breakdown of in Catalonia”) by the IERMB team commissioned form part of our daily urban landscape transport means used by people who by the Departament de Política Territorial i Obres (López de Lucio, 1993). work in industrial estates comes as no Públiques (Department for Territorial Policy and surprise. The following table illustrates Public Works).The authors would like to especially The creation of these industrial estates the breakdown by mode of the different thank Maria Costa’s work in the development of coincides with the increased use of industrial estates in the Metropolitan the Census. privately-owned vehicles and with the Area of Barcelona. Here you can see a 2 Ortofotomapes 1:25.000 de l’ICC, versió 4. Any gradual downsizing of various collective group of industrial estates, all located in dels vols 2000-2003. transport means. As a result, areas have periphery municipalities, where the use 3 In this article we have used the seven functional been specifi cally designed to house of a privately-owned car to get to work areas for the purpose of our study as given industry in suburban spaces located at is above 90%. This percentage drops in the Pla Territorial General de Catalunya varying distances from traditional urban dramatically in industrial estates where (General Territorial Plan for Catalonia): the Àmbit some of the major fi rms provide company Metropolità (Metropolitan Area), Comarques stretches without allowing for means of Gironines (Girona Regions), Camp de Tarragona transport other than a privately-owned car transport (i.e. the case for the Montornès (Tarragona Area ), Terres de l’Ebre (Ebre Lands), (Cebollada i Miralles, 2005). del Vallès group of industrial estates), Comarques Centrals (Central Regions), Àmbit or those industrial estates located close de Ponent (Western Area) and the Alt Pirineu The outcome of this process is a situation to metropolitan centres where there is a i Aran (High Pyrenees and Aran). We also use where there are numerous and fragmented relatively wide offer of public transport “metropolitan area of Barcelona” when referring industrial areas where accessibility is a services (for example, Granvia Sud de to the Metropolitan Area. serious problem unless one gets there l’Hospitalet de Llobregat).

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