The Brightlands Health Campus in Maastricht is set to receive an investment of €116 million. Maastricht City Council, Maastricht University, MUMC+ and the Province of Limburg aim to use this to develop Randwyck into a more sustainable and more attractive location for healthcare innovation and businesses. The ambition is for the campus to become the second economic driver of South Limburg. Following years of consultation, agreement has now been reached on the investment.
The City of Maastricht is investing 33 million euros in the development of the area. MUMC+ is contributing 30 million euros and Maastricht University 29 million euros. The Province of Limburg will cover the remaining 24 million euros. Plans to upgrade Randwyck and the Brightlands Health Campus have been on the table for several years. The parties involved want to make the area more attractive to new businesses. A key part of this is the redesign of public spaces.
Three sub-areas
According to the planners, Randwyck is currently too built-up and overly focused on car traffic. This is set to change in the coming years. According to the plans, the ‘Groene Loper’ will be extended to the hospital by early 2027. Two car parks will also be built near the A2 motorway exit. As a result, cars will mainly have to be parked on the outskirts of the area. In addition, the plans provide for more sustainable spaces and room for cyclists and pedestrians. A central park is to be created at the entrance to the hospital. In the long term, new buildings for research and development companies are planned on the site of the current temporary student accommodation.
According to the initiators, this should give Randwyck a more vibrant character. In the plans, the area consists of three sub-areas: Campus Hart, Campus Poort and the Einstein Quarter. Space has also been set aside for housing in the northern part. It is not yet known how many homes will be built. According to the planners, sufficient space must remain for the businesses already established there as development progresses.
Boosting the regional economy
The redevelopment is intended not only to make the area more attractive but also to boost the regional economy. According to the parties involved, around 16 per cent of students currently remain in the region after completing their studies. If that proportion rises to 25 to 30 per cent, it could provide a significant economic boost.
Last year, the two consultancy firms Roland Berger and Strategy& calculated that the development of Randwyck could potentially create 2,500 additional jobs. According to the advisers involved, growth across the whole of Maastricht could ultimately reach 10,000 jobs, partly due to expansion among suppliers and manufacturing companies. For the next five years, the municipality, Maastricht University, MUMC+ and the province have set a more specific target: 250 to 300 direct new jobs, alongside 1,000 to 1,200 indirect jobs.
Companies from outside the region
The strategy for achieving this growth is also changing. Whereas the focus was previously mainly on the expansion of existing companies, the parties involved now wish to place greater emphasis on attracting companies from outside the region. According to municipal project leader Wouter Hankel, a new team of ten staff members will be set up to recruit companies.
The focus is on sectors in which Randwyck is already strong, such as diagnostics, implants and Path Finder, part of the Einstein Project. To develop these Innovation Spaces, the three partners and the province will each invest 5.6 million euros over the next five years. Together, this amounts to 22.4 million euros.
Additional investments
The national government is also contributing to the development of Randwyck. It is making 19 million euros available for improvements to the A2 motorway exit and a further 25 million euros for Path Finder. Councillor Hubert Mackus regards these sums as additional investments that can be added to the previously announced 116 million euros. Mackus places the development within the broader economic context of South Limburg. According to him, Chemelot is a key economic driver for the region, but also entails risks. Randwyck is intended to create a second economic driver that can further strengthen the regional economy.
The council also wishes to gain greater control over the campus. The aim is to become a shareholder in Brightlands Campus within five years. According to Mackus, this is currently complicated, partly due to patents and the shareholdings in Mosa Meat that may need to be acquired for this purpose.
Acquisition fund
In addition, the municipal budget includes a proposal for a 20 million euro acquisition fund, from which Randwyck could also benefit. The council wishes to discuss with the municipal council whether the fund can be used to take a direct stake in individual companies. This would mean that the council would not only facilitate the development of the area but also become financially involved in the businesses based there. According to Mackus, this approach may be necessary to achieve the intended economic growth.
Should Randwyck eventually reach full capacity, Maastricht is looking into expansion options south of the Oeslingerbaan, where the Heugem business park and the car boulevard are located, amongst other things. In doing so, the council is also examining the future role of the car boulevard and the possibilities for further developing the area in the longer term. Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus already hosts companies and research initiatives in the field of health innovation.
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