Monthly Review Bottrop: Key Decisions and Developments in March 2026

The latest developments in March 2026

What was important this month

• New day care facilities were opened, and a large project involving senior housing is under construction.
• Childcare centers are being expanded, with new spots and renovations.
• Cost savings at the town hall discussed – AfD requested the elimination of mileage allowances.
• Open shopping Sundays approved for festivals and markets.
• Nature conservation projects such as mobile phone masts and demolition work approved.
• Economic development and support for startups further expanded.

Social Services and Care – Strengthening Support

The Senior Advisory Council and the WTG Authority were central to social developments. The WTG Authority, responsible for supervising facilities under the Welfare and Participation Act (WTG NRW), presented its Activity Report for 2023 and 2024. A total of 38 consultations were carried out and 18 complaints processed. Frequent topics included violence in care and housing quality.

Additionally, two new day care facilities were put into operation: the Caritas Day Care "Am Klostergarten" and the ASB Day Care "Am Alten Südring". Moreover, a comprehensive project with 20 short-term care spots, three dementia group homes, and 20 barrier-free senior apartments is in planning. Construction work has already begun.

Childcare – Expansion and New Buildings

The Child Welfare Committee adopted the Demand Plan for Childcare Facilities 2026, providing for 1,008 spots for children under three years old and 3,590 spots for children aged three to school entry. A new six-group childcare facility in central Bottrop and the renovation of St. Matthias Church into a childcare center (KiTa) are in planning and are expected to be completed by 2027.

In addition, it was decided to close the KiTa Herz Jesu once the capacity is replaced by the new building on Paßstraße. The large-scale childcare facility Arche Noah will be discontinued once the childcare situation stabilizes.

Economy and Development – Startups and Support

The Economic Development and Real Estate Committee reviewed several projects, including the Welcome Service Center Northern Ruhr Area, which will be funded by the Just Transition Fund until 2028. The STARTERCENTER NRW processed over 139 advisory cases in 2025 and recorded 16% more startups compared to 2023.

In the context of the Idea Competition by Ruhr West University, 30 applications were submitted, with 10 projects being nominated. The prizes ranged from 500 € to 1,500 €. The Starterschmiede Bottrop, closely networked with the STARTERCENTER, held 15 TuN meetings by February 2026 and integrated over 200 participants into the network.

Nature Conservation – Approvals and Exemptions

In the Nature Conservation Advisory Board, several exemptions were decided, including the demolition of existing buildings at Grafenmühlenteich and the construction of a mobile phone mast on Utschlagstraße. The total construction costs amounted to 459,540 €, with soil works and construction site setup being the largest items.

Transport and Communication – Changes and Planning

In the Bottrop-South District Committee, a CDU faction proposal for the expansion of the no-parking zone in front of Liesenfeldhof was discussed. In addition, six open shopping Sundays were approved, including for the Horse Market and the Michaelis Market.

Conclusion and Outlook

March 2026 was a month of diverse developments in Bottrop – from strengthening the care system and expanding childcare to supporting startups and nature conservation projects. In the coming weeks, further decisions in the areas of urban planning and public events can be expected.