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Commercial Area Rotenhof
A successful project by the municipality of Melsdorf and the state capital Kiel: the commercial area "Rotenhof"
Just seven years after the signing of the cooperation agreement between the municipality of Melsdorf and the state capital Kiel for the planning and development of the inter-municipal commercial area, the former 20-hectare agricultural site on the western outskirts of Kiel has undergone a fundamental transformation: through purchase, planning, investment and successful construction, 15 companies have revitalised and transformed the site.
This joint initiative has created 550 new jobs in the economic region. Established companies can enhance their competitiveness at this new location, thereby contributing to the strengthening and unity of the region. The partnership-based cooperation on an equal footing, actively practised by all parties involved, serves as a pioneering example of collaborative work between neighbouring municipalities.
Einar Rubin
Unser Ansprechpartner für das Gewerbegebiet Rotenhof
Address: 4 Otto-Flath-Street, 24109 Melsdorf
The commercial area is located on the western outskirts of Kiel. The city centre can be reached in ten minutes via the main road. Bus and train services are also available.
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Stages in the area’s development
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The development of "Rotenhof" is truly a model of success. Successful cooperation across municipal boundaries strengthens the competitiveness of an entire region and gives a boost to its economic vitality. From the very beginning, our trusting partnership with the City of Kiel has been based on mutual respect and has been a win-win situation for both parties.
Anke Szodruch
Mayor
The municipality of Melsdorf and the state capital Kiel
Even before the contract was signed in June 2015, planning for the joint project between the municipality of Melsdorf and the state capital Kiel was already in full swing. As planning permission for the site had not yet been granted at that time, the municipality of Melsdorf, in collaboration with the relevant local authority in Achterwehr, first drew up a local development plan and finalised the infrastructure planning.
Subsequently, a joint application for funding was submitted to the State of Schleswig-Holstein, initial agreements were reached on the terms of the land purchase contracts, calculations were carried out, draft resolutions were drawn up and various cooperation partners were brought on board. All necessary decisions were taken jointly by the contracting parties.
Just two years later, the partners began developing the site and subsequently marketing it. The state of Schleswig-Holstein provided funding of EUR 995,037 from the Infrastructure Support Programme (GRW) for the development of the area; however, this was not fully utilised due to the highly efficient nature of the development work.
The main access to the industrial estate was planned and implemented directly onto the K4 district road. Due to the very high level of concrete interest in the run-up to the development planning, the area was structured in such a way that plots of approximately 2,500 m² could be offered alongside a plot of 40,000 m². Whilst the southern section is suitable for larger plots due to the greater plot depths, the western section was designed for smaller plots due to the predominantly shallower plot depths.
This created a range of sites that meets the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises as well as those of large companies. After deducting the necessary infrastructure and compensation areas, approximately 14.5 hectares of net building land remain for use by businesses. The proximity to the state capital and the connection to the A210 motorway have created optimal location advantages for businesses setting up in the municipality of Melsdorf.
Attractiveness of the location thanks to a diverse range of businesses and industries
Since 2018, and thus even before the development work was completed, KiWi has been marketing the inter-municipal commercial site. The first buyer of a plot (in 2018) was a company based in Kiel. A subsidiary of Scheidt & Bachmann (System Technik), previously based in Kiel-Wellsee, has clearly opted for the Kiel Region business area. With an investment of just under six million euros, an expansion of floor space capacity by 25% compared to the office space previously used was achieved on a 9,000 m² plot. In addition to the space available, the proximity to Kiel University and the University of Applied Sciences was a deciding factor: developing hardware and software requires bright minds!
In addition to Scheidt & Bachmann, 14 other companies have found their new home thanks to KiWi’s successful marketing efforts. Nine of these are based in Kiel, five are from the Rendsburg-Eckernförde district, and two companies have been welcomed as new settlements in the Kiel region. In total, around 550 jobs have either been created or retained in the region.
The existing mix of industries is diverse. In particular, companies with a focus on logistics, such as
The many service companies here also appreciate the excellent accessibility for their skilled staff and customers via the motorway, by bus or by train, which stops right at the Rotenhof inter-municipal industrial estate. One building stands out in particular: KletterBar Kiel operates a climbing centre, whose striking, approximately 16-metre-high climbing tower is visible from afar.
Eight years ago, the municipality of Melsdorf and the state capital, Kiel, joined forces, each with their own reasons, but with a shared goal and a spirit of cooperation. This partnership has led to the creation of new jobs and the preservation of existing ones. Companies can boost their competitiveness at the new location, thereby helping to strengthen the entire region. This practical example of cooperation on an equal footing is an inspiring model for collaboration between neighbouring municipalities.