STRATEGIC PLAN

for Ashdod's Industrial Areas

In the competition among cities for manufacturers and industrial investment, the functionality and efficiency of a city’s industrial areas are decisive factors. Other increasingly decisive factors include geographical proximity and community. The evolution of manufacturing, termed the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” by Klaus Schwab, is altering manufacturers’ calculations with regard to site selection. Proximity to suppliers and markets, to the city center and its varied resources, and to residential areas is increasingly important. A sense of community and social relationships are also seen as core resources. The increasing importance of these factors has made flexible and innovative land use regulations and building codes highly desirable. While policymakers are responding to the trending importance of these factors, especially through economic development strategies that aim to cultivate cross-sector collaborations and partnerships, the field of urban planning is not offering new spatial models that might influence strategic thinking about industrial development and cities’ resiliency.

 

Striving to guarantee Ashdod’s competitiveness and resiliency and to make Ashdod a leader in industrial and technological innovation through city design, Yehuda Frankel, City Council Member in charge of Education & Industrial Development, and Dr. Smadar Itzkovich, Head of the Industry Development Division, initiated this project. Recognizing the great economic and social opportunities inherent in the development of a new port, the construction of the Assuta Ashdod University Hospital, and the development of a new industrial area on the city’s southern edge, they decided to approach the Academy to develop a cutting-edge vision for the future planning and development of Ashdod’s industrial areas. This initiative is unique and signals their great commitment to this endeavor.

 

For the first time, this plan assesses the role and identity of each industrial area within the city, viewing each as a single unique entity and, at the same time, an integral part of the whole.

This document consists of three parts: (1) an overview of the industrial areas in the context of Ashdod’s defining features, spatial structure, and current city planning and policy initiatives; (2) a suggested framework for further action on the development of the industrial areas; and (3) a vision and a targeted strategy for industrial planning and development in the city. We hope this strategic plan will provide the city with guiding ideas and practical tools that will aid it in the critical task of developing the physical and social infrastructure necessary for a robust and thriving industrial sector.

How to cite this report:

Hatuka T, Peterson Menozzi S, and Pragier E (2017) Strategic Plan for Ashdod's Industrial Areas. Available at: www.industrialurbanism.com.​