Municipal heat planning: City launches participation process

The city of Bocholt is setting the course for a climate-friendly heat supply: The draft of the municipal heating plan is available and will be presented to the Environment and Green Committee in June 2025. Citizens are invited to inform themselves about the plan and comment on it from 1 to 30 June 2025. The city council is expected to make a final decision in July.

Municipal heating planning is a statutory instrument of the federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia that obliges all municipalities to draw up a heating plan by 30 June 2028 at the latest. This is intended to set out how the local heat supply can be organised in a climate-friendly, sustainable and economical way by 2045. The plan serves as a strategic basis for citizens, companies and decision-makers to better plan investments in a future-proof heating infrastructure.

"It should be emphasised, however, that the heating plan does not result in any legally binding requirements", emphasises Sascha Terörde from the City of Bocholt's Climate Protection Department. "The heating plan does not oblige you to replace your heating system", says Terörde.

The potential heating network suitability areas named in the heating plan only serve as orientation for more concrete planning steps; they are initially only so-called test areas that need to be analysed in more detail. There is also no legal entitlement to the implementation of the heating plan.

The draft of the municipal heating plan can be viewed from 1 June 2025 at the City of Bocholt's Climate Protection Department. Mondays to Thursdays from 8 am to 12 noon and from 2 pm to 4 pm and Fridays from 8 am to 12 noon on the premises of Bocholt City Council, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Str. 52-58, 46395 Bocholt. Appointments must be made in advance by telephone on 02871 953-3002 or by e-mail to waermeplanung(at)bocholt(dot)de.

The planning documents can also be viewed digitally at www.bocholt.de/waermeplanung on the city of Bocholt's website or via the city of Bocholt's participation portal at https://beteiligung.nrw.de/k/1014842.

Comments on the municipal heat planning of the City of Bocholt can be submitted during the public consultation period via the participation portal or in writing to the City of Bocholt, Climate Protection Department, 46393 Bocholt, by e-mail to waermeplanung(at)bocholt(dot)de or for recording. The City of Bocholt would like to point out that any comments not submitted by the deadline will be disregarded.

In addition, a public information forum will be held on 10 June 2025 at 6 p.m. in the historic town hall, where the municipal heat planning will be presented by the city administration and the expert and questions will be answered. Due to a limited number of seats, registration for this event is required via https://beteiligung.nrw.de/k/1014353 or by email to waermeplanung(at)bocholt(dot)de.