The cities of Gelsenkirchen and Herten are working intermunicipally on the development of the project "New Mine Westerholt". For this purpose, the two municipalities established the development company Neue Zeche Westerholt mbH, which is to prepare the area for subsequent use. The measure is to be partially implemented with funding. The funding application within the framework of the 5-Sites Program will be submitted by the end of 2024, with approval expected in mid-2025.
The planning area, measuring approximately 39 ha, is located on the city border of the cities of Gelsenkirchen and Herten in the districts of Hassel and Westerholt, immediately adjacent to the district of Bertlich. The planning area includes, in addition to the actual shaft site Westerholt 1/2, a south-adjacent derelict area (former transfer station of DB AG) as well as public traffic areas (including parts of Marler Straße, Egonstraße / Geschwisterstraße, and Ringstraße).
In 2015, the feasibility study was developed with the "Master Plan New Mine Westerholt" and subsequently qualified by various specialist reports. The basis of these specialist plans is the updated urban development concept, which serves as the foundation for the development plans 428 (Gelsenkirchen) and 185 (Herten), for which the statutory resolutions are to be made in mid-2025.
The former shaft system was used for mining operations for about 100 years before it was discontinued at the end of 2008. The mining area, stretched from southwest to northeast, has a maximum length of about 1,400 m and a maximum width of about 530 m. As larger embankments had been necessary for the site's use in the past, numerous adjacent slopes to the surrounding terrain have developed today, with height differences of up to 10 m. The heterogeneous, unevenly compacted embankment material is also not suitable as a foundation for new development. During operation, buildings and facilities were repeatedly demolished according to necessity and use, with these areas being partially rebuilt. This diverse, often inadequately documented previous use results in the need for intensive ground preparation.
As part of the termination of the mining supervision of this area, the mining operator (RAG AG) must carry out the so-called ABP procedure (Final Operating Plan) with the aim of leaving the area hazard-free. In this process, all above-ground facilities and buildings (up to 50 cm below the GOK) have already been removed, which are not suitable for subsequent use. Cavities and basements have been filled with loose materials. The specifications for the measures in the context of soil remediation (hotspot remediation) are being provided by RAG and will flow as a separate lot into a joint tender.
According to different responsibilities and regulatory requirements, the soil remediation of the area must be regulated in various procedures:
The general part of the remediation plan was completed in June 2024 and has now been approved by both the Arnsberg District Government, Department 6 Mining and Energy, and the involved environmental authorities. It describes the overall measures in the context of soil remediation and regulates the fundamental responsibilities. The actual measures are described in the partial remediation plans I and II.
The partial remediation plan I is available in its final version and will soon be submitted to the Arnsberg District Government for approval. It regulates all remediation measures to be carried out within the mining law procedure, mainly the so-called hot spot remediation and the handling of the relocation structure, in which the contaminated sites are encapsulated.
The partial remediation plan II is still under development and is to be submitted to the environmental authorities (City of GE and District RE) in the first quarter of 2025. This remediation plan regulates all measures that are carried out outside of the mining law procedure (and thus fall within the responsibilities of the EG NZW).

LOT-0001
Awarding of planning services for remediation and preparation for construction.
The subject of the tender is the phased commissioning of planning services in the area of remediation planning/preparation for construction, namely LPH 5 - 8 according to § 43 HOAI plus special services.

Planned remediation/preparation for construction:
The intended subsequent use requires, in addition to the modeling of the terrain, the preparation of the substrate, including the removal of restrictions and obstacles, in order to achieve homogenization and defined compaction of the foundation. The reuse-related preparation includes the geotechnical and chemical quality of the materials to be installed. Also, with regard to the subsequent trades (development planning, drainage planning, open space planning), the handover level is defined. This means that a homogenized, restriction-free, modeled foundation is created, which serves as "new" original terrain for the further trades. In the course of the planning, reuse-related geotechnical requirements are defined, as well as chemical installation values of the materials developed, coordinated, and approved in cooperation with the soil protection authorities responsible for the cities of Gelsenkirchen and Herten. The future commercial properties, streets, and open spaces will be prepared from a chemical and construction technical standpoint. For this purpose, the upcoming fills and materials will be mostly excavated and assessed under expert supervision. The excavated material will be evaluated from a chemical and geotechnical perspective during the construction process and then placed according to the specifications of the subsequently approved remediation plans with compaction. Any excess masses must be disposed of in an orderly manner. The size of the prepared areas is divided into approximately 10.8 ha for commercial areas, approx. 2 ha for residential areas, approx. 1 ha for mixed-use areas, approx. 7.8 ha for traffic areas and paths, and approx. 2.5 ha for green and open spaces. The planned handover level for the preparation for construction will be set below the later terrain surface (user level) based on the remediation/preparation for construction for the development of the area, with the former mine area and the former parking lot area north of Egonstraße forming large contiguous remediation zones, for which values for disposal (relocation to the securing structure, removal, or recovery) and reintegration will be defined in the partial remediation plan II.