Bakala plans to sell Barbora Mine. An industrial zone will be created on the existing brownfield.

The Panattoni development company follows up on the signed memorandum of cooperation with the Moravian-Silesian Region and starts preparation of the revitalization of the area and construction in the area of the former Barbora mine in Karviná. The brownfield site will be used as a base for modern industry with added value. The expected total investment may exceed EUR 1 billion.

The area of the former Barbora Mine is currently one of the largest brownfield sites in the Czech Republic and, thanks to its location and connection to infrastructure, has huge potential for modern, value-added industry. In the first phase, Panattoni will build modern industrial halls with a floor area of over 400,000 sqm, with construction work expected to start in the second half of 2025 and completion planned for 2032. The investment will exceed EUR 1 billion (CZK 24 billion).

"After the experience from the coal regions in the Karlovy Vary and Ústí nad Labem regions, where we brought projects of global companies such as Amazon, Jungheinrich, Tchibo, Goodyear, Amphenol and many others, we are looking forward to new challenges in Karviná. Thanks to the preparation of the territory, the region will be able to compete for strategic projects of modern industry, which are fought for by the strongest regions not only within Europe. We are pleased that we have reached an agreement with the landowner and will be able to contribute to the transformation of the economy and offer a ready-made territory that the Czech Republic has not had until now," says Pavel Sovička, Panattoni's Managing Director for the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Karviná suffers from the highest unemployment rate in the Moravian-Silesian Region (32.6% of all unemployed in the region according to CSO data as of 31 December 2022), while still having a skilled workforce in the industrial sector. The lack of available land for industrial construction also supports the intention to revitalise the area with an industrial history and to build on it again. The project makes use of an existing siding and connection to the European rail network, with the rail corridor only four kilometres away. Another advantage is the proximity to Ostrava Airport or the D1 motorway.

Panattoni is a leader in sustainable industrial construction in the Czech Republic and has built nearly two million square metres of space. The project in Karviná will target one of the highest awards in the international sustainability certification BREEAM New Construction. The construction will use the latest technologies to reduce energy consumption, such as photovoltaic panels, heat pumps and smart lighting systems. Panattoni also always emphasises water efficiency and the provision of low-emission and renewable energy sources for the industrial zone.

During the period of operation from 1909 to 2002, the Barbora mine produced 65 million tonnes of coal. The last truck left on 16 December 2002.