The concept plan, the master plan (also called the general plan), and the concept of an industrial park are three documents used in the work of park initiators, management companies, designers, and public authorities, as well as researchers and students. However, there is still no established practice for applying these terms in Ukraine, and they are often used as synonyms or in a much narrower sense. Since this affects mutual understanding among everyone involved in a park’s development, we offer clear definitions of each, reflecting the specifics of the eco-industrial park model.
A concept plan is a preliminary integrated development plan for an industrial park. Based on an analysis of the site, current and expected demand from companies, eco-industrial park requirements, potential anchor tenants, industrial synergies, clustering, infrastructure, the transport network and risks, it defines a flexible spatial and functional development model. Its purpose is not to fix the final placement of all future companies, but to form a framework for sustainable, resource-efficient, economically viable and investment-attractive development – one that later allows the placement of residents, infrastructure and synergetic links to be refined as specific companies come on board. In practice, it is a set of maps of the current situation and development prospects, with thematic layers: existing situation, phasing, land use and functional zones, clustering and anchor tenants, industrial synergies, engineering corridors, water, energy, waste, transport, social infrastructure, risks and buffer zones. The concept plan is a component of the master plan and may be attached to the concept.
A master plan (general plan) is a comprehensive strategic and spatial planning document defining the park’s long-term development model: functional zoning, placement of residents and shared infrastructure, transport and engineering organisation of the site, implementation phasing, environmental and social solutions, industrial symbiosis opportunities, and the management mechanisms needed for the park’s efficient, safe and sustainable operation. The master plan incorporates the corresponding concept plan. A sample structure of this document is available here – Ukrainian version and English version.
The concept of an industrial park has no statutory definition; however, based on Ukraine’s Law on Industrial Parks, it can be formulated as follows: an approved programme-and-planning document, adopted by the park’s initiator, that defines the park’s functional purpose, the aim and objectives of its creation, plot parameters, operating period, requirements for participants, indicative resource needs, development plan, organisational model, expected results and other essential information. The concept is needed for interaction between the park’s initiator and the authorised state body, the landlord, the management company, and between the management company and participants. It does not replace the master plan but contains certain shared elements and is mandatory under the Law.
If you have questions about other terms in the field of industrial and eco-industrial parks, you can submit them for consideration via this form.
The GEIPP-II Ukraine project is implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in partnership with the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, with financial support from the Government of Switzerland through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
