[Abandoned Industrial Complex]④ A Fox Appeared in the Factory Forest... Europe’s Largest Industrial Complex with Over 40% Green Space Ratio

Over 90-Year-Old Aging Industrial Complex 'Rexom'
Massive Green Space Created as Companies Leave
Eco-Friendly and High-Tech Firms Return
Charles III to Attend Factory Opening Ceremony

20ha Park Planned on Former Prison Site
"No Reason Not to Create Green Spaces in Industrial Complex"

Adrian Lloyd Jones, who is in charge of environmental work at the Wrexham Industrial Estate in Wales, UK, is smiling as he points to traces of a fox active in the green area of the industrial complex to a reporter from this newspaper. Photo by Seungseop Song tmdtjq8506@

"The fox was actively foraging."

Adrian Lloyd Jones, who oversees the environmental sector at the industrial complex in Wrexham, Wales, UK, smiled broadly upon confirming that the fox was alive. The traces of the fox were discovered after pushing through dense bushes for about 10 minutes. His shoes were already covered in mud, and the hems of his pants were stuck with burdock burrs. Feathers and bone fragments, likely from birds, were scattered along the forest path. The fox, the top predator in the food chain and the only one capable of hunting birds in the area, had just finished its meal. On the 14th of last month, Asia Economy visited the Wrexham industrial complex, where scenes reminiscent of dense forest areas were unfolding.

Located in the northeast of Wales, the Wrexham industrial complex spans 550 hectares, making it the largest site in Europe. It houses over 340 companies, including the global cereal company Kellogg’s, and is responsible for employing more than 10,000 people in the region. Although the complex is about 90 years old and aging, private sector investments totaling ?130 million (approximately 230 billion KRW) are still being made. It is estimated that 1,500 jobs will be created through investments over the next four years.

The 'Most Eco-Friendly' Industrial Complex Home to Over 1,000 Wildlife Species

A pond located in the middle of the Rexeom Industrial Complex. Here, an active ecosystem is maintained, including the breeding of the lizard 'Yeongwon,' designated as an endangered species in Europe. Photo by Seungseop Song tmdtjq8506@

The Wrexham industrial complex is also known as the most eco-friendly industrial site. About 40% of the entire area is covered with green spaces. These green spaces consist of five wild green areas without artificial structures, nine artificial green areas with amenities and walking paths, and dozens of small green spaces maintained by individual companies. More than 1,000 species of wild flora and fauna, including foxes, the scarce common kestrel, and otters, inhabit these green spaces. Notably, the European endangered lizard species 'Yongwon' has also made its home in the Wrexham complex.

The green spaces visited that day were scattered throughout the site. The fox habitat was located next to the Japanese lens company 'Hoya' in the northeast of the complex. Some parts of the area are still privately owned by Hoya. In the past, it was used as an outdoor soccer field for the company’s soccer team practice, but now it has returned to a wild state, making it difficult to recognize its former use. Ebony forests lie between a telecommunications company and a staffing agency, a nature conservation wetland is right next to an elementary school within the complex, and a trail used by owls and rabbits starts from a tractor company.

The Wrexham complex was not always eco-friendly. It was established during World War II, starting as a munitions factory. After the war, despite ups and downs, local companies built factories on vacant land in the 1950s, and from the 1960s, with government subsidies, the number of companies gradually increased.

90-Year-Old Aging Complex Attracts Eco-Friendly Companies by Creating Green Spaces

A view of the Wrexham Industrial Estate in Wales, UK. Vast green spaces are developed near the factories. Photo by YouTube Wrexham AFC Fanzone

The problem was that its distance from major UK cities made it less attractive for companies to settle there. In the early 2010s, as companies began leaving the complex, local governments devised plans to transform the site into an eco-friendly place. The strategy aimed to improve working conditions for companies and employees and attract eco-friendly businesses. Accordingly, since 2014, a partnership was formed with the private environmental organization 'North Wales Wildlife Trust,' granting authority to nurture the natural environment and manage wildlife within the complex.

Although there were concerns that increasing environmental regulations would burden companies, in reality, company departures decreased, and eco-friendly companies moved in. In 2015, the famous European eco-friendly bakery company 'Village Bakery' settled in. They chose a location right next to a forest that had been left untouched for 400 years. The company expressed a desire to personally maintain the green space, which is now used for nature conservation campaigns and company tours. Thanks to the voluntary efforts of the companies and the complex, then-Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, attended the factory opening ceremony, helping to widely promote the complex as an eco-friendly industrial site.

Government and public facilities within the complex are also dedicated to eco-friendly efforts. The Berwyn Prison, the largest correctional facility in the UK established in the complex in 2017, is a prime example. Initially, the outdoor area of Berwyn Prison was planned to be used as a work area for inmates, but after consultations with environmental groups, the UK decided to create a 20-hectare nature conservation area. The forest, including seven ponds, is now off-limits to general visitors and serves as a habitat for wildlife.

20-Hectare Green Space Next to Prison Bars: "No Reason Not to Create It"

Berwin Prison Nature Reserve located inside Rexam Industrial Complex. Initially planned as a workspace for prisoners, it was decided after consultation to preserve 20 hectares of grasslands, forests, and wetlands. Photo by Seungseop Song tmdtjq8506@

With the help of a complex official, we entered the Berwyn Prison nature conservation area, which retained a wild appearance that would be hard to imagine within an industrial complex, except for the 3-meter-high walls and barbed wire fences. It took about 20 minutes to reach the nearest pond. After climbing a steep muddy path, a pond about 30 meters wide and long appeared. It is mainly a space where newts mate or hibernate.

When asked if it wouldn’t be better to build other welfare facilities or attract more companies instead of focusing on the environment, the official replied, "Green spaces are the best cost-effective policy." Jones, the environmental head, emphasized, "Creating green spaces in the complex is the most economical and greatly helps improve employee welfare," adding, "There are studies showing that the more green spaces there are, the lower the rates of depression and crime among local residents, so there is no reason not to do it."

He continued, "The UK regrets not implementing green space policies in industrial complexes sooner," and said, "I would advise the Korean government to immediately implement eco-friendly industrial complex policies."

Editor's NoteSouth Korea has abandoned land. Its area is 24.49 million square meters, 5.44 times the size of Yeouido. Nothing is done on this land. It is simply left unattended. This is the story of 'industrial complexes.' Industrial complexes have been the driving force behind South Korea’s rapid economic growth since the development of the Ulsan Industrial Complex in the 1960s. However, due to their rapid and unplanned construction, they now suffer from chronic unsold properties. While focusing only on building new complexes, existing ones face serious aging problems. Asia Economy examines the current status of domestic industrial complexes through a special series on 'Abandoned Industrial Complexes' and explores development directions for Korean industrial complexes through overseas cases.

This project was supported by the Press Promotion Fund, funded by government advertising fees.