The location of the Líně Airport near Plzeň is suitable for the construction of a strategic business park (SPP), according to experts who prepared a geological assessment for the state agency CzechInvest. Volkswagen (VW) is considering building a CZK 120 billion factory for batteries for electric cars, the so-called gigafactory, in the SPP.
“The impact of historical coal mining in the Pilsen region on the assessed site of Líně is completely zero. Historically, not even kaolin was mined at the site of the planned industrial park. It is clear from the geological structure of the site that there are no kaolin resources at all in the area of the airport area and the planned business park,” said Michal Kofroň, a geologist and managing director of G-Consult, which prepared the geological study for CzechInvest, which is the government agency in charge of preparing the SPP. Kofroň said the good condition of the site is confirmed by aerial photographs from 1938 to 1995, which show that the former Moguntia plant did not mine in the area designated for the SPP, but in its vicinity.
“An assessment of the aerial photographs, which were fully available to us for the geological study, clearly showed that the entire area of the current airfield is covered with small strips of cultivated fields and strips of dirt roads occasionally lined with trees. There are no traces of mining there, but the remains of former kaolin mining can be seen about 400 metres north-west of the boundaries of the planned zone,” Kofroň said. According to Hořínek, the geological assessment clarified the conclusions of the mining assessment and supported the interpretation that the area of interest is not affected by mining.
In late September, Czech Television quoted a forensic expert, geologist and expert on undermining, Jiří Růžička, as saying that the area is threatened by local subsidence from earlier kaolin mining. According to the opinion, there are cavities that may threaten the stability of the surface. However, this does not mean that a factory could not be built on the site, but according to the assessment, further investigations should be carried out.
CzechInvest continues to prepare SPP for the location of a gigafactory. “All the assessments prepared so far point to the suitability of the site for this project. By the end of the year we will have an impact study that will show in more detail the impact of the park on the surrounding area and what measures will be needed to ensure the functionality of the site and to mitigate the negative impacts,” said David Petr, project coordinator at CzechInvest.
The intention to build the SPP to house a gigafactory for the production of battery cells for electric vehicles was approved by the Czech government last year. CzechInvest was entrusted with the preparation of the 200-hectare site for the investor. “The intention is to significantly help the Czech economy, in which the automotive industry plays a crucial role, generating ten percent of GDP. Thanks to the gigafactory for the production of battery cells for electric vehicles, the Czech Republic would gain a major competitive advantage within the Central and Eastern European region,” Hořínek added.
Source: CzechInvest and CTK
