The Belchatów Poviat

The Bełchatów Poviat is located within the centre of Poland in the Łódź Province, 150 km from Warsaw, 186 km from Wrocław and 550 km from Berlin. Favourable location of the Bełchatów Poviat is beneficial for the development and dynamics of economic growth. The national road No. 8 Warsaw – Wrocław passes through this area, moreover, Warszaw– Katowice fast road is located nearby. In addition to that Łódź, the capital of the region, the city with well-developed technical infrastructure, is in close neighbourhood. Population of the Bełchatów Poviat consists of over 113 thousands of people within the area of 971 square km. The Bełchatów Poviat consists of two urban agglomerations, that is: Bełchatów and Zelów, as well as, six village communes: Drużbice, Bełchatów, Kleszczów, Kluki, Szczerców, Rusiec. The Bełchatów Poviat is characterised by big forests and numerous water reservoirs, which contributes to the creation of good conditions for tourism and for organising it. Agrotourism farms use successfully the beauty of nature. Well-marked walking paths and bicycle paths are conductive to tourism. Businessmen and training groups willingly visit holiday resorts and luxurious hotels located in the area.

The mining industry and power industry dominate the economic life of the Poviat. The Brown-Coal Mine "Bełchatów" is situated within the Poviat area. The Mine produces brown coal for the nearby Power Plant "Bełchatów". Total brown coal resources amount to 2 billion tonnes and are divided into the following: "Bełchatów", "Szczerców" and "Kamieńsk". The production capacity of the Brown-Coal Mine "Bełchatów" is 38,5 millions tonnes of brown coal a year, with removed annual average overburden amounting to 100-120 million square meters. What is more, also accompanying mineral resources, including: sands, gravels, clays, and lacustrine chalk are being exploited and used. The Bełchatów Power Plant is the biggest in Poland and in Europe brown coal-fired Power Station.

However, in the Bełchatów Poviat it is not only industry that dominates. Within the Poviat area there are also many forests and water reservoirs. Lately numerous agrotourism farms were created there. Among the attractive places located along the local tourist route, there are numerous historic churches and charming palace-and-park complexes. As far as accommodation places available within the Poviat are concerned, there are 1000 of them, including 350 of high standard. It creates favourable conditions for the development of business tourism. Access from any part of the country is easy and does not take long time due to an advantageous location of the Poviat.

Environment protection and balanced development are among the priorities of the local authorities of the Bełchatów Poviat. Image oriented change strategy has been implemented for many years within the region, which has been associated mainly with a huge brown coal mine and the neighbouring power plant. Therefore numerous pro-ecological initiatives are organised there.

Due to the sports infrastructure, which is well-developed and still under development, there is a good sports base within the Poviat, including: pools, sports halls, indoor stadium, synthetic turf pitches and tennis courts. In Bełchatów there is the Poviat Sports Centre, in which the following sports facilities are seasonally operating: ice skating rink, tennis courts, basketball pitches, handball pitches and football pitches.

Bicycle paths and continuously being developed the intention of which is taking care of the inhabitants’ good shape and safety. Two bicycle routs, including six-kilometre section from Domiechowice to Parzno, located at the western part of Poviat, and over eight-kilometre section from Bełchatów to the biggest holiday resorts of the Poviat – Wawrzkowizna and Słok, have been created upon the initiative of the local authorities.

Multi-million expenditures for ecology, investments in sports facilities and development of infrastructure, dynamics and success - that is what distinguishes the Bełchatów Poviat from other local self-governments. All these makes the Bełchatów Poviat a good place to invest in and to live in.