Source: hirkapszula.hu
The development of the Future Industry Science and Innovation Park and the industrial park in Zsámbék is progressing well. Following two decisions in December, the city and Óbuda University will be able to spend more than 1 billion forints next year on the renovation of the almost 9-hectare former barracks area.
At the beginning of the year, the Zsámbék City Government submitted the TOP Plusz tender, within the framework of which applications could be made for the establishment of Industrial Parks and, within that, Science and Technology Parks. The work was not in vain, as it turned out in December: the city won the maximum 400 million forints in addition to 100 percent financing – Laszlo Horvath according to the mayor.
The local government's professional design had already won a previous ITM title competition on this topic, which created the possibility of this success. The amount will serve to clean up the 8.8-hectare area of the former air defense barracks and to develop public works, 3 hectares of which will be used by the Óbuda University, Rudolf Kálman Foundation for Óbuda University will buy it soon.
The government-backed project will redevelop the former barracks area as part of a brownfield development. The area is currently in a very neglected state, but has excellent industrial development potential.
A study plan has already been prepared for the development of the plots and the construction of public utilities. They are currently waiting for the land division to come into effect, if this is implemented, then the sale and purchase will take place: that is, the university foundation will purchase three hectares of the area. This will be made suitable for development from its own resources and will be equipped with public utilities. For all this, the university foundation will have 900 million HUF at its disposal, courtesy of the decision of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation.
In the coming years, scientific and innovation parks, i.e. Science Parks, will play a major role in strengthening domestic innovation, and they can be boosters of technological and knowledge-based economic development by following European and global economic trends.
The Future Industry Science and Innovation Park of Óbuda University will be implemented within the area of the Zsámbék Science and Technology Park, on the outskirts of the city of Zsámbék, on the site of the former Zsámbék barracks. The Rudolf Kalman Foundation for Óbuda University, Óbuda University and the Zsámbék municipality have set a goal of creating an innovation center where researchers and developers will experiment and produce future technologies in the areas of cybersecurity, 5G/6G, artificial intelligence, medical technology, AR/VR, and robotics. All this will strengthen the domestic industry and the companies operating in the area.
The long-term goal of the project is the development of the region, for which purpose the Zsámbék local government, which supports the investment, can also implement industrial development and social convergence by following the scientific activity of Óbuda University.
By the end of 2023, we would like to see a cleared, partially public utility-equipped area suitable for development – he said about the plans Laszlo Horvath, who added: even laying the foundation stone at the end of next year is not unthinkable.
The non-profit company jointly established by the university foundation and the Zsámbék local government to coordinate and implement the developments has already been established. “I have to say that looking back on the past 16 years, I am most happy about this application,” he wrote on his social media page. Laszlo Horvath, who believes that the university and the companies expected to settle around it represent material and intellectual capital that will influence the life of not only Zsámbék, but the entire microregion in the long term.
"So not only will new businesses simply pay business tax, but the university will also represent a scientific, educational, cultural, and even tourist development for our region with the experience center being built in the area," he added.
The Territorial and Settlement Development Operational Programme Plus (TOP Plus) programme supports regional-based developments throughout Hungary, with the aim of improving the development position of regions and counties at EU level and within the country. The programme primarily supports local government developments, and its development themes cover ensuring regional and local conditions for economic revitalisation, job creation and expansion, as well as population retention and family protection, including local economic development and employment, as well as tourism.
