Millions in funding for a new large-scale industrial area in Gera

The Thuringian Ministry of Economic Affairs is providing nearly €12 million in funding for the development of the new "Cretzschwitz" industrial park in Gera. Thuringia's Minister of Economic Affairs, Wolfgang Tiefensee, presented the funding notification to Mayor Dr. Viola Hahn in Gera today. "Gera needs new perspectives for its economic development," said Tiefensee. Existing commercial space within the city limits is more than 90 percent occupied – in particular, larger, contiguous areas exceeding five hectares are no longer available. "We expect this large-scale development to provide a new industrial boost for the entire region." The project is one of eight key projects across Thuringia under the "Thuringian Large-Scale Development Initiative" – and thus one of the locations that the Free State is developing with high priority. It is important to further develop this major center in eastern Thuringia, with its central location in the growth region between Leipzig, Halle, and Jena, said Mayor Dr. Hahn. Viola Hahn: “We want to leverage our central location at the tripoint of Thuringia, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt more effectively. A key advantage is our immediate proximity to the two major north-south and east-west highways through Europe, which we can further capitalize on with new, attractive industrial sites. This will significantly improve our position in the competition for investment and new businesses.” The total development costs, including planning services, amount to approximately €13 million, of which the state is contributing €11.8 million from the joint federal and state program “Improvement of Regional Economic Structures” (GRW). The first phase of the large industrial park will develop approximately 42 hectares. The goal is to market the land to larger companies with a space requirement of up to eight hectares. The development area borders the existing “Am Vogelherd” industrial park to the south and is connected to the A4 motorway via the B2 federal highway. The Gera interchange is approximately nine kilometers away. Both sites are located north of the incorporated village of Cretzschwitz and are bordered to the west by Federal Highway 2. The Thuringian State Development Corporation (LEG) is responsible for the development. This includes, among other things, land leveling and site preparation, road construction including lighting, the construction of a wastewater sewer including a pumping station, a stormwater sewer including a stormwater retention basin, as well as water supply and compensatory measures. Press release from the Thuringian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Science and Digital Society dated December 21, 2016