“THESE NEW ZONES ARE BASED LESS ON HEAVY INDUSTRY AND MORE ON SERVICES AND HI-TECH SECTORS. THEY ARE BETTER PLANNED”
Future flexibility The watchword now is diversification. Whereas the early SEZs were built around a single industrial process – chemical production or heavy industry, for example – now, planners are trying to find ways of building on a diverse set of functions in order to allow adaptability for future use. “These new zones are based less on heavy industry and
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more on services and hi-tech sectors,” says Savage. “They are better planned and often managed by a single organisation that coordinates the infrastructure and the amenities.” Planners working on zoning development now focus on incorporating broader sectors of the economy and attracting more highly skilled workers to populate the zones. The theory is, the wider the economic base within the SEZ, the greater the chances of long-term prosperity. Added to that, just bussing in migrant workers with no thought to the wider social consequences both within and outside the zone simply won’t be tolerated by local communities. “It’s about creating a community that people actually want to live in,” says Savage. “The lifestyle aspect has become much more important with the rise of service industries. If you look at the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector in India, these are high-tech sectors and
occupations and you can’t just lay out a standard industrial estate and expect skilled people to go and live there. So the modern SEZs are more like a refresh of the old company towns you used to have in the US with amenities and social provision at their heart.”
But while the mining towns and the company suburbs
pioneered by US industrialists like Levitt ultimately fell victim to stagnation, today’s planned economic zones are far more integrated and focused on long-term benefits both for workers, companies and the host country. In common with many cutting-edge economic and urban development projects, the UAE is leading the way on this. John Barber, an economist by training now consulting with Atkins, has seen the theory and practice develop through his work over 17 years. Having relocated to China in the summer of 2011, Barber’s previous work in the Middle East focused on the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi project, supported by the emirate. The project involves 420 square kilometres of land and Atkins has been looking at a range of development opportunities in terms of heavy industry, as well as downstream industry in chemicals, the metal sector and the construction material sectors.
SOME NEW THINKING
Panama Pacifico: This is a clear example of the new thinking currently surrounding economic zones. Given the country’s history – the Panama Canal took over 40 years to build and virtually turned the entire country into a special economic zone – it was only fitting that it should adopt a similar approach for the 21st century. The area, on the outskirts of
Panama City and near the eastern mouth of the canal, is
designed to attract foreign and regional investment to the area. Tax incentives, labour benefits and planning breaks were also introduced. Situated next to one of the world’s most important trade routes, the zone is looking to leverage its natural advantages to attract commercial, industrial and freight companies. The masterplan has been praised for its sustainability credentials, including an award by former US President Bill
Clinton as part of his Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI). The CCI recognises projects around the world that address the dual challenge of climate change and urbanisation. Clinton’s foundation created the Climate Positive Development Program to meet these challenges by encouraging and supporting sustainability in large-scale urban development. The CCI selected Panama
Pacifico as one of just 17 initial
projects across the globe, saying: “A key highlight of Panama Pacifico is the ecological sustainability plan... Efforts in restoring and protecting nearly 1,400ha of wetlands and other native habitats, as well as integrating natural processes with their innovative storm water management plan, will act as a tool for sequestering large amounts of carbon.” The CCI goes on to highlight Panama Pacifico’s masterplan,
citing concepts from the international standards of Smart Growth, New Urbanism and sustainable land use. “The new design includes a healthy jobs-housing balance, ensuring future success and growth in the community and making Panama Pacifico the first of its kind in Latin America,” according to the CCI. With its diverse mix of business
and residential elements it is a truly modern planning project.
“There is a lot of hydrocarbon money involved in this,”
says Barber. “It is perceived as pump-priming from the public sector to kick-start the private sector.” Khalifa is seen by many as an exemplary project of its type, in that it combines a mix of industrial, commercial, social and residential developments. It has been planned as a more organic project designed to adapt to changes in the macroeconomic conditions and not as a rigid, mono-functional factory-state. Similarly, the Musaffah Industrial Area serving Abu Dhabi
City is being upgraded in its role as the prime location for light industrial and business uses in the UAE. Atkins was brought in by Abu Dhabi Municipality to prepare masterplan proposals covering everything from land use to circulation patterns, and urban design and landscape strategies for public spaces.
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