Industrial Zones as an Important Element in the Area - the Possibility of Evaluating its Costs and Benefit
Abstract: Building of industrial zones in the Czech Republic has become a big trend since the beginning of the millennium. Currently, Regional Information Service states a total of 147 industrial zones which are included in urban plans of municipalities. Majority of this already built or planned to be built zones is placed on greenfields. On the one hand this brings social benefits to general public in terms of the employment and the employment rate increase; on the other hand, this represents a significant intervention into the environment with various environmental impacts, not only the soil occupation itself but also, even more importantly, the complex of problems caused by paved impermeable surfaces. This article discusses the application of several methods to evaluate selected costs and benefits for specific industrial zones. The aim is to show how can be assessed whether it is beneficial for society or not to build up a farmland. In the pilot example (already operating industrial zone), the industrial zone proved as socially beneficial which does not fully comply with established ideas. The article therefore analyzes the circumstances why this particular industrial zone is evaluated positively and under what conditions the outcome for a different but comparative in size the zone would be the opposite, i.e. the zone is socially inefficient. The aim of this article is to suggest what should be considered when planning to place such large-scale structures in the municipality cadaster especially in terms of the long-term development of the area including proposals how model calculations should be carried out.
