Development of Airport City Schiphol Significantly Delayed

SCHIPHOL-RIJK, The Netherlands, May 3 /PRNewswire/ — Chipshol, Holland’s leading developer in the Schiphol region, has stopped collaboration on the development of Airport City (near Schiphol Airport Amsterdam), which spans an area of about 2 million square meters. Fifteen years ago, Chipshol was the first developer to launch plans for an Airport City connected by 2 railway lines, including the TGV Paris-Amsterdam and 3 expressways. Such a unique location, next to an international airport, can be found nowhere else in the world. For fifteen years, however, Chipshol has systematically been obstructed by Schiphol Airport. As a result, there is little or no chance of a combined, successful development for an Airport City. As the dominant party with 100 hectares, Chipshol will only co-operate when Schiphol changes its attitude.

For years Chipshol was also obstructed while trying to develop a logistic business park, not just by Schiphol but also – under pressure from the airport – by the municipality of Haarlemmermeer in the province of Noord-Holland. Recently these two parties arranged a settlement with the developer. Among other things, the settlement means to lend new impulse to the airport city project, and calls for the diversion of the A9 expressway, something desired by many. Recently, however, the Schiphol Board of Directors has chosen to continue old conflicts, and is in no way willing to compromise. Not long ago, the Court of Justice of Haarlem ordered Schiphol Airport to pay 19 million Euros to Chipshol for continuous obstruction. Schiphol, however, refuses to start the payment.

The plans for an Airport City near Schiphol, launched by Chipshol in 1988, include: about 2 million square meters of hotels, congress facilities, a shopping mall, office and apartment buildings – all connected by a people mover. The total investment will be about 10 billion Euros. An agreement was settled with the Schiphol Area Development Company (SADC) for the development of 40 hectares. Because of Schiphol Airport, among others, this development has been delayed for more than 15 years.

According to Peter Poot, managing director of Chipshol, this promising collaboration for the most attractive location in The Netherlands has been defeated by Schiphol’s attitude: “In order to get such an ambitious development plan off the ground, collaboration between the two most important parties is crucial. Not being prepared to work out old conflicts is a huge obstacle. Now that Schiphol is making it impossible to collaborate, the development of an Airport City that was likely to succeed will be delayed considerably once more. Schiphol’s position, which encounters more and more international competition, is also at stake unnecessarily.

Chipshol

CONTACT: For additional information please call Peter Poot, managingdirector: +31-(0)6-54-72-48-59 or Jaap Sluis +31-(0)6-53-73-21-63