The Framework Plan North is a development concept for the north of Bocholt.
The Framework Plan North was adopted by the city council on 16 September 2009 as an integrated spatial development concept for the north of Bocholt. In the preceding years, the framework conditions for road traffic in Bocholt had changed fundamentally.
In December 2006, the B67 between the Dingdener Straße junction and Rhede was opened to traffic. At the same time, the B67 was linked to Münsterstraße by the south-east ring road built by the city of Bocholt. In addition, the second construction phase of the Westring between Schwanenstraße and Dinxperloer Straße was opened with the Westring Tunnel. With these extensive construction measures, the city of Bocholt has come a step closer to its goal of closing the outer ring road, which it has been pursuing for decades. The outer ring road is now around two thirds complete.
As a result of these construction measures, road traffic has been reorganised and many roads have been relieved. In particular, Münsterstraße, Uhlandstraße, Westend and the southern section of Dinxperloer Straße should be mentioned here. In the north of Bocholt, on the other hand, it is mainly residential roads through residential and recreational areas that are affected by additional congestion. In 2009, the city council adopted the Framework Plan North.
The North Framework Plan provides for the consolidation of the settlement area in conjunction with the construction of a new northern ring road (north/west ring road) in order to meet the prevailing demand for residential areas and relieve traffic congestion in the city. The relief will have a particularly positive effect on the existing residential areas along Dinxperloer Strasse. Furthermore, a new traffic routing will lead to a better connection to the hospital to the north-east of the change area. This will make it possible to avoid shortcuts, which previously led through the existing residential areas.
Three draft urban development concepts have been developed and weighed up against and among each other in the northern framework plan. The three planning variants were assessed in terms of urban development and utilisation, economic efficiency, traffic, sport and the environment. The urban development concept of variant 3 offered the possibility of more settlement area and at the same time a certain flexibility with regard to the location of the final route of the northern ring road.
In the following years, urban land-use planning procedures were initiated for further sub-areas (west and north ring road area) of the framework plan. This led to certain changes in the settlement structure. This meant that the drafts from the 2013 North Framework Plan had to be updated.
