“Work of urgent public interest”. With this motivation, at the meeting on the 19th of January, the City Council of San Pancrazio Salentino approved an expression of interest towards the ambitious project LifeCity Parco degli Ulivi, presented by Enerwind srl. It concernes the settlement of a multifunctional citadel on a plot of about 50 hectares in the Marcianti district, near the Strada Statale 7 Ter Taranto-Lecce.
A great work no cost
Inspired by the psycho-physical well-being of the person, starting from food safety and quality, the project has a sustainable urban format, based on the promotion and enhancement of the Made in Italy of superior excellence, together with the selection and proposal of the best local resources. Both in the agri-food and in the wine sectors and with special regard to manufacturing, labor and the professionalism employed.
The approved decision of the council states that the project is, “driving force for employment and the local economy, provides for substantial private financial investments with direct effects on the municipal budget (concession contributions, various taxes) and indirect ones; involves the hiring of a significant number of employees – in addition to the expansionary effects on the related industries – resulting in an important and significant contribution to the relaunching of employment in the area”.
All at no cost to the municipal authority, which will not have to bear charges of any kind. In fact, even those relating to the urbanization works of the area will be covered by the proposing company.
In the name of innovation and sustainability
The settlement will include a health and social welfare center, with a plurality of services for the health and well-being of the person, together with a 4-star hotel and an exhibition and commercial center for the enhancement of the agri-food and wine of excellence. All this in a context dominated by huge green spaces and accompanied by facilities and services for leisure and sport.
The products and companies, which will be present both in the citadel and in an online marketplace, will respond to ethical production processes dedicated to Made in Italy quality, fully traceable by the consumer at any time, through innovative software and apps and with control of the inviolable system of the blockchain.
Furthermore, the structures of the citadel will be energetically sustainable. A special photovoltaic system will guarantee the charging of the shared electric car park (car sharing) for all LifeCity customers. The entire energy system will be made more efficient according to sector regulations, with respect to the objectives of reducing human/environmental impacts. In addition, the internal road surfaces will be asphalted with titanium dioxide components, with a smog-eating “photocatalytic” effect, useful for transforming pollutants into oxygen.
LifeCity Parco degli Ulivi will also host an Open Innovation Center: a place open to ideas, solutions, tools and technological skills, which will come from start-ups, universities, research centers and institutes, inventors, researchers, programmers, consultants, associations, Foundations, public institutions.
Furthermore, LifeCity’s open innovation model will also open up to “business network contracts”, as provided for by the Ministry of Economic Development.
In particular, in the LifeCity Health Area, each doctor involved will share an integrated approach to the person-patient, allowing each specialist to compare with specialties other than their own, within a dedicated network. The network involves private groups, universities, professionals, research centers and other figures of value in the medical-health field.
The involvement of the community of San Pancrazio Salentino
“It is good to specify – commented the mayor, Salvatore Ripa – that the procedure for final approval of the work is just beginning and will not be in the hands of the Municipality, but in those of the Province of Brindisi and the Puglia Region. With the approved resolution, the City Council evaluated the project presented by Enerwind srl as extremely interesting for the community, asking the authorities in charge to start the Program Agreement and signing a partnership agreement to this effect. What positively distinguishes this proposal is the unusual approach with which it was put forward: the Municipality, in fact, was consulted and involved before the start of the process, without there being an obligation by law. This will enable us to be an active part of the process and not to find ourselves seeing any approval only after the decision has already been taken”.
And the involvement of the Sampancraziese community took place not only through the highest city assizes, but also with an open online conference, held on the 13th of January, during which the citizens who intervened were able to ask questions directly to the Ing. Santo Masilla, author of the project for the company MSC Innovative Solutions of Lecce, who took care of the design development of the work. In particular during the conference was clarified, that the expropriation amounts of the land concerned will be paid by the proposing company and will be extremely congruous and higher than the current market value. The primary consideration of the productive and commercial realities of the territory within the project was also reaffirmed, as well as the desire to recruit and train professionals and local workers.