In the north of Essen, the development of the intermunicipal Freiheit Emscher project is making progress. Freiheit Emscher Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (FEEG) has initiated the official marketing procedure for commercial plot GE7. The site is situated on the Emil Emscher conversion area in the Vogelheim district and spans 42,298 square metres. The offering is specifically aimed at knowledge-based companies and innovative manufacturing enterprises looking to implement sustainable standards.
Plot GE7 represents the third of seven construction phases on the approximately 19-hectare development site. For the allocation, the municipal development company is employing an accelerated, single-stage investor selection procedure based on qualitative and quantitative criteria. The closing date for concept submissions has been set for 30 November 2026.
Binding quality criteria and a swift procedure
According to FEEG Managing Director Gernot Pahlen, the single-stage structure is designed to limit the administrative burden on all sides and ensure direct decision-making processes from bid submission to the final award. The structural and ecological quality of submitted proposals will be governed by a binding climate neutrality concept alongside an overarching design manual.
The release of land comes against the backdrop of a marked shortage of immediately usable commercial plots in the Ruhr region. Although more than half of all new jobs in the region have been created on industrial and commercial land in recent years, the supply of restriction-free sites continues to dwindle. Calculations by regional economic development agency Business Metropole Ruhr GmbH indicate that the current reserve of land is mathematically sufficient for only around two years.
Infrastructure funding and completion by 2028
Grant funding of more than EUR 30 million is available for the infrastructure development of the Emil Emscher site. The subsidy is provided by the Just Transition Fund (JTF) of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the European Union. With this budget, the development company is delivering the site's internal infrastructure, which is planned for high ecological resilience.
- —Commercial plot GE7 with 42,298 m² for knowledge-based enterprises
- —Infrastructure development financing of over EUR 30 million from the Just Transition Fund
- —Climate-resilient planning with green corridors and sponge city principles
- —Completion of infrastructure works and handover to occupiers by the end of 2028
The urban planning concept incorporates extensive green corridors and a drainage system based on sponge city principles to mitigate heavy rainfall events and summer heatwaves. Civil engineering works on the site are scheduled for completion by the end of 2028. The handover of sub-area GE7 to future operators is envisaged for the same date.
