At the former Emil Emscher mining site in Essen-Vogelheim, the development company Freiheit Emscher (FEEG) celebrated the commencement of construction work for the internal infrastructure development. Mona Neubaur, North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister for Economic Affairs, and Thomas Kufen, Essen's Mayor, participated in this symbolic ground-breaking ceremony. Emil Emscher represents one of the five central development sites of the inter-municipal urban development project Freiheit Emscher. A modern commercial park for knowledge-based companies and production businesses is planned for establishment across an area of 19 hectares.
The State of North Rhine-Westphalia, represented by the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy (MWIKE), and the European Union are supporting the development of the Emil Emscher commercial area with a total of EUR 31 million. These funds originate from the Just Transition Fund (JTF) and from state funds. The overarching Freiheit Emscher overall project is being funded with approximately EUR 78 million from the EFRE/JTF programme NRW 2021-2027.
Detailed Development Plan until 2028
Gernot Pahlen, Managing Director of Freiheit Emscher Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, emphasised that Emil Emscher represents the first visible component of a future productive city in Essen's north and Bottrop's south. He highlighted the objective of harmonising economic growth with ecological responsibility and improving the quality of life in the adjacent districts. The infrastructural development of the former colliery site requires precise coordination of the construction phases. The concept by planning offices INGPLAN and AE7 divides the area into five zones: the commercial areas, internal traffic areas with two planned roads for development, "Green Fingers" as connecting green and path networks, a biotope, and a forest area in the north.
- —The first construction phase includes clearing and tree felling work, as well as the creation of a compensatory biotope for protected animal species such as the natterjack toad.
- —From the second quarter of 2027, the main phase will follow with the preparation of the commercial areas for construction and the building of supply and disposal systems, internal roads, and green spaces.
- —The complete construction work is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2028, after which the handover of the first three building plots to their owners is planned, with access being made available earlier.
Sustainable Water Management and Circular Economy
A central aspect of the site development is efficient water management to ensure heavy rainfall protection. Ten-metre-wide green strips and extensive green and park areas in the northern part of the site serve as the primary buffer zone for rainwater. Along the central access road, rainwater will seep into swales, be temporarily stored in underground soakaways, and then be controlled and discharged into the storm drains. This system aims to protect the commercial park even during extreme heavy rainfall events. In the spirit of the circular economy, parts of the soil that were excavated during the site remediation completed in 2023 by RAG Montan Immobilien (RAG MI) are to be reused for backfilling the commercial areas.
Mayor Kufen underlined the project's significance for Essen's north by describing the districts of Altenessen, Karnap, and Vogelheim as key areas for the city's economic, ecological, and social development. He highlighted Emil Emscher as an example of successful developments made possible through the support of the state and the EU. Pupils from Gesamtschule Nord in Vogelheim presented their visions for the future of the district in a dialogue round with the responsible parties as part of a project course. In addition to the development of Emil Emscher, the City of Essen is preparing the construction of the commercial boulevard as an external access road with JTF funds. Progress is also being made in other sub-areas of the overall Freiheit Emscher project, such as the soil remediation of the former Coelln-Neuessen coal storage facility by RAG MI and the expected adoption of the zoning plan for the Welheimer Mark area in Bottrop by 2027, which should enable development there. Furthermore, the expansion of the commercial boulevard by the City of Bottrop and the renaturation of the Aspelflötte by Emschergenossenschaft are underway.
