Bio Science Park generates thousands of jobs and millions of euros for the Leiden region
The Leiden Bio Science Park (LBSP) is very important not only for the city of Leiden but also for the Leiden region and the Netherlands as a whole. This is the finding of an investigation conducted by the Leiden-Leiderdorp Audit Committee. The large-scale development of the LBSP in recent years has resulted in above-average growth in jobs in Leiden, despite the disappearance of some elements of traditional industry.
The Audit Committee investigated what the LBSP generates for the city of Leiden and the surrounding area in order to answer the questions raised by political parties within Leiden City Council about the Park’s costs and revenues. Substantial sums are involved in the Park, and Leiden City Council bears some of these costs. When making decisions about the Park, the Council is always faced with the question of how the LBSP serves the interests of Leiden’s citizens and whether this justifies the costs that it incurs. The investigation gives a positive answer to this question: it found that the LBSP is beneficial for many residents of Leiden.
Millions of euros and thousands of jobs
The Audit Committee’s investigation revealed that the positive societal and economic effects of the LBSP outweigh any adverse effects associated with it. It concluded that the LBSP is very important in providing work for people with both theoretical and practical training in Leiden and the Leiden region, and that job numbers are growing much faster on the LBSP than elsewhere in the city. The LBSP currently provides employment for more than 20,000 people.
Additionally, the investigation found that the presence of the LBSP generates around 3,000 indirect jobs in other parts of Leiden. It also revealed that the LBSP yields around 8.3 million euros for the City Council (primarily in property tax revenues), while the costs that the Council incurs for its development and management are around 3.8 million euros per year. The Council can use the surplus income from the LBSP to invest in the city. Moreover, the sometimes groundbreaking research conducted on the LBSP helps to focus positive media attention on Leiden. This is particularly evident in these times of coronavirus, largely thanks to the presence of Janssen Vaccines, which is working on a Covid-19 vaccine.
More info on the LBSP website (in Dutch)