On 16 and 19 December, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vratsa, together with representatives of Vratsa Municipality, organised a two-part seminar entitled “Brownfield Industrialisation”, dedicated to exploring opportunities for transforming unused industrial sites into sustainable and competitive spaces for development. The event brought together representatives of the public administration and experts in the field of regional and territorial development.
The seminar was held within the framework of the project “Reindustrialisation Following the Brownfield is Better than Greenfield Principle” (ReInd-BBG), which aims to promote the intelligent reuse of already developed land and contribute to reducing construction on greenfield areas.
On 16 December, participants were introduced to the EU Territorial Agenda 2030, with a particular focus on its relevance for regions and its priority of reducing land consumption for industrial development through the reuse of brownfield sites. The topic sparked an active discussion on the applicability of European and national policies at local level.
A key element of the programme was the discussion “What works and what does not work in brownfield redevelopment?”, during which participants shared practical experience, challenges, and good practices. The discussion addressed issues related to the economic viability of such projects, the role of local communities, the need for public-private partnerships, and the importance of long-term planning and management.
The second part of the seminar took place on 19 December. During the meeting, the links between the Territorial Agenda 2030, the National Development Programme “Bulgaria 2030”, and the ReInd-BBG project were presented, highlighting their complementarity and strategic importance for sustainable regional development.
The concluding discussion with stakeholders focused on the topic “From ideas to policies – key performance indicators”, emphasising the need to translate good ideas into concrete policies, measurable results, and sustainable governance models.
The seminar represents an important step towards the upcoming development of a Roadmap for Brownfield Re-industrialisation, a strategic and practical document outlining a phased plan for the transformation and reuse of brownfield sites. The roadmap will serve as a decision-making and coordination tool for public authorities, businesses, and other stakeholders, supporting intelligent territorial development and limiting construction on greenfield areas.
