The Limmat Valley finally needs a strategy

Balz Halter recognised the Limmat Valley as an area with development potential when others were still hesitant. Entrepreneur Balz Halter discusses rational decisions on where to invest, the capacity for political action, and the question of why the region finally needs an overarching strategy before growth turns into a patchwork.

Arun Banovi: Mr Halter, you are regarded as someone who identifies promising locations early on, before they become obvious. Where does this intuition come from?
Balz Halter: It’s less a matter of intuition than, on the one hand, the observation and interpretation of facts and trends and, on the other, the courage to act on that conviction.

Arun Banovi: What was your main driving force initially – construction, entrepreneurship, taking risks, or the desire to make a difference?
Balz Halter: For me, entrepreneurship is the main focus – the opportunity to create something and make a difference. The fact that it’s construction is largely down to the fact that I was born into a family of master builders. But through building, you shape the environment and create something lasting. That’s truly fascinating.

Arun Banovi: You believed in the Limmat Valley from an early stage. Was that a rational analysis of the location at the time, or was it also a gut decision?
Balz Halter: It was very rational, with a long-term perspective. It was clear to me that the Limmat Valley would develop well. But it required patience and perseverance. I was also convinced that, through sound development, we could ourselves contribute to enhancing its appeal.

Arun Banovi: What can the Limmat Valley do better than Zurich today, and what will it never be able to do better?
Balz Halter: Of course, Zurich will always remain the economic centre of the region and, with the lake and its historic city, will enjoy the highest level of appeal. The Limmat Valley’s opportunities, on the other hand, lie in its remaining potential for development and in the fact that, thanks to the diversity of its municipalities, it remains more politically agile than ideologically entrenched Zurich.

Arun Banovi: If you compare the Limmat Valley with Zurich North, the Glatt Valley or the airport region, where does it have the edge and where does it still need to catch up?
Balz Halter: The Limmat Valley is better connected in terms of transport, thanks to its proximity to Zurich and its direct links to Switzerland’s other economic centres. And with the River Limmat and the nearby hills, it offers enormous recreational value. The Glatt Valley municipalities recognised early on that they also need to see themselves as a region, organise themselves as such and develop accordingly. In this respect, the Limmat Valley still has some way to go beyond municipal and cantonal boundaries.

Arun Banovi: Does the Limmat Valley now have sufficient substance of its own, or does it still rely too heavily on its proximity to Zurich?
Balz Halter: The Limmat Valley is still one of the most dynamic regions in Switzerland. But it will always remain part of the economic metropolis. However, if it plays to its strengths as a region as a whole, it can certainly develop a healthy sense of identity in relation to the Zurich area.

Arun Banovi: Does the Limmat Valley have more of a profile problem, a leadership problem or an implementation problem?
Balz Halter: It’s still a bit of everything. But many local councillors seem to be realising that challenges and opportunities are best tackled through regional cooperation. That gives cause for optimism. As awareness changes, structures and dynamics emerge that lead to implementation.

Arun Banovi: You played a major role in shaping Limmatstadt AG. Why do you think the idea of a joint ‘Limmatstadt’ has not had the impact that was originally hoped for?
Balz Halter: Not yet. The idea will eventually gain acceptance. It was interesting to see how resistance to the Limmattalbahn gradually subsided. Today, it’s impossible to imagine life without it, and it’s widely accepted as a mode of urban transport.

Arun Banovi: Looking back on your time in the Limmat Valley, what was your most important lesson, and what decision would you not make in the same way today?
Balz Halter: A crucial factor in the development of a municipality – just as it is for property projects – is who sits on the local council. Schlieren, for example, was able to transform itself from the ‘dustbin of the canton’ – as it was once dubbed – into an attractive town because, a good 20 years ago, the town council courageously and with foresight set the right course. Relying on the right local authorities is an important lesson. Looking back, I would do exactly the same again.

Arun Banovi: Private developers are often quicker off the mark than politicians and the administration. Where does responsibility begin, and at what point does a developer suddenly become a substitute for a lack of location policy?
Balz Halter: When local authorities fail to plan location development strategically and implement it across all policy areas – particularly in land-use planning – property developers fill the vacuum. Many developers do their best. But their scope ends at the boundaries of their plots. If the public sector fails to fulfil its responsibility and undertake overarching planning, further growth will always remain a patchwork; a collection of isolated buildings, lacking context and identity.

Arun Banovi: What would need to happen for a company to say: ‘We’re deliberately moving to the Limmat Valley and not just somewhere near Zurich’?
Balz Halter: As soon as all three tunnels at Gubrist open, the Limmat Valley – which is already an attractive location today – will become even more so as a business location, thanks to its strategic transport links.
Arun Banovi: What would you wish for the Limmat Valley if you had one wish?

Arun Banovi: What would you wish for the Limmat Valley if you had one wish?
Balz Halter: The Limmat Valley urgently needs a regional development strategy, accompanied by appropriate spatial and urban planning. Growth should primarily take place in the best-connected centres, where good planning and high development density create attractive, vibrant town centres and neighbourhoods. This preserves the landscape, reduces traffic and takes the pressure off the village-oriented communities.

Interview: Arun Banovi, immoMedia GmbH • Images: courtesy of the publisher.