Esch-sur-Alzette, from the steel metropolis to the national hub of research and higher education Daniel Codello Alderman Esch-sur-Alzette, 2nd December 2015
The City of Esch-sur-Alzette in a nutshell
Esch-sur-Alzette District : Luxembourg Administrative district: Esch-sur-Alzette Population: 33,826 Belgium Arlon 24 km Grand-Duchy du Luxembourg Luxembourg-City Esch-sur-Alzette Nationalities: >120 Density : 2,275 inhab./ km 2 Trier Surface area: 14.35 km 2 55 km Germany Paris 274 km / 2h by HST France Thionville Metz 45 km 21 km Saarbrücken 79 km
Capital of the Southern region 563,000 inhabitants (January 1st 2015) 45,9% non nationals The Southern Region 200 km2 161,078 inhabitants A third of the national population 150 nationalities 5,500 registered companies
Evolution of the population 33,8260 30000 30,121 25000 26,472 27,822 27,954 27,574 26,654 25,196 27,322 20000 15000 16,461 20,557 Outlook 2020: 36,000 inhabitants 10000 11,097 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2015
From the steel industry to knowledge economy
The regional plan - Definition of the regional development plans in the 1980s, Belval is central to the Southern region - In 1994, the former Minister of Territorial development, Alex Bodry, presents a regionalisation scenario a multitude of development poles beyond the capital provide decentralisation scenarios & opportunities for Job creation Economic development and diversification Administrative decentralisation Social development and cultural activity According to Mr Bodry, the Southern region needs, very urgently, a perceptible improvement of its brand image. For too long, development efforts have been concentrated almost exclusively on the economy. [ ] in order to help a region in crisis, there is a need for a more global approach.
The 4 main development phases of Esch-sur-Alzette, from a village to a university city 1900 a village 1950 an industrial hub 1980 a commercial city 2015 hub of research & higher education
Historical background Decline of the steel industry from the 1970s onwards Reconversion projects in the neighbouring regions have served as examples: - Pôle Européen de Développement (PED) Athus Longwy - Rodange / European Development Pole - Internationale Bauausstellung (IBA) Emscher Park - Saarterrassen
Sanem Belval (120 ha) Esch-sur- Alzette France 2014 Ville d Esch-sur-Alzette, Service Développement Economique, Tourisme et Relations internationales
Historical background Founding of the development company Agora in 2000 Launching of the planning competition, won by Jo Coenen & Co. from Maastricht, together with the landscape architects Lubbers de 's-hertogenbosch Creation of the Fonds Belval, a public establishment for the development of the City of Science, Research and Innovation in 2002
Historical background 2005 2008: - Inauguration of the concert hall Rockhal - Arrival of the first scientists of the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology on the spot - Arrival of RBC Investor Services - Opening of a shopping mall Launching of the construction of the House of Knowledge, the main building of the Unversity in 2009 Inauguration of the new train station in 2010
Historical background Transfer of the administration of the University of Luxembourg and the Faculty of Language and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education in 2015 Transfer of the national agency for innovation in 2015
Local economy
Economic sectors Research & Development Health care / Biohealth Information and Communication Technologies Social services and social business Creative industries (graphic design, architecture) Retail Crafts Culture & leisure Public services
The programme of the City of Science
The 5 development pillars Education The City of Science which will welcome, among others, the University, i.e. 7,000 students and 3,000 teachers Research & Innovation Public and private research centres, business incubators, Luxinnovation and a life sciences center Economy and Finance RBC Investor Services and the Square Mile offering modern office space Residential Modern living space and school infrastructures Recreational Shopping, auditoria, sport infrastructure and a multiplex cinema 2015 Ville d Esch-sur-Alzette, Service Développement Economique, Tourisme et Relations internationales
14 13 2 1. MAISON DU SAVOIR 2. MAISON DU LIVRE 3. M. DES SCIENCES HUMAINES 12 11 4 3 5 4. MAISON DU NOMBRE 5. MAISON DE L INGENIEUR 1 6. MAISON DE LA VIE 7. M. DE L ENVIRONNEMENT I 6 8. M. DE L ENVIRONNEMENT II 9. MAISON DES MATERIAUX 10. ATELIERS D ESSAIS DES ING. 10 7 11. INCUBATEUR D ENTREPRISES 12. BÂTIMENT BIOTECH 13. MAISON DE L INNOVATION 14. ROCKHAL 9 8
The city at the heart of research and life sciences Public and private research centres : Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology / LIST (600 employees) Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research / LISER (130 employees) 2 Interdisciplinary centres of the University: SnT: Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (57 employees) Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, LCSB (118 employees) 2015 Ville d Esch-sur-Alzette, Service Développement Economique, Tourisme et Relations internationales
The faculties of the University of Luxembourg in Esch-Belval Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication Faculty of Language and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education
Cross-border cooperation
French-Luxembourgish cooperation - French study on the potential of the Belval site in 2002 and birth of the project Alzette-Belval 2015 - Signature of two conventions by France and Luxembourg in 2006 in order to seek cross-border complementarity Framework convention regarding cross-border development related to Esch- Belval Convention related to the implementation of infrastructures on the site of Western Belval Amendment of the border ( 89,679 m2 of each territory) Creation of a business park on the French side Road infrastructure, railway connection and P&R system to facilitate circulation - Founding of the public establishment EPA Alzette-Belval (FR) in 2011 & elaboration of a strategic operational project (EcoCité)
The EGTC Alzette-Belval, a European tool for French- Luxembourgish territorial cooperation The European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation is based on the regulation (CE) No 1082/2006 of the European Parliament, which confers upon these groupings the legal capacity to carry out concrete actions aiming at facilitating and promoting territorial cooperation and to strengthen in this way social and economic cohesion within Europe. The EGTC Alzette-Belval - created in March 2013-170 km2, 4 Luxembourgish and 8 French Municipalities - 91,500 inhabitants - Priority collaboration themes: Mobility Territorial and sustainable development Social cohesion at transborder level Culture, Leisure, Sports & Tourism
The EGTC Alzette-Belval, a European tool for French- Luxembourgish territorial cooperation
City networks Esch-sur-Alzette is a member of The city network Tonicités Arlon (B) Esch-sur-Alzette (L) Longwy (F) Luxembourg Metz (F) Thionville (F) The European Coalition of Cities against Racism (ECCAR) Rainbow Cities Mayors for Peace
Sister cities Cologne (D) Liège (B) - Lille (F) Rotterdam (NL) Torino (I) Mödling (AT) - Offenbach am Main (D) Puteaux (F) Velletri (I) Zemun (SR) Coimbra (PT)
Thank you for your attention!