Stenern shopping center: Talks with investor take longer: Start is still unclear

The discussion about the planned local shopping center in the Stenern district is moving into the next round. Talks with the investor are still ongoing.

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A final breakthrough in the talks about a shopping center in Stenern is still a long way off. “We are currently in intensive discussions with the investor,” says Bocholt’s city spokesman Karsten Tersteegen when asked. On September 11, the city administration will present a report on the current status of the negotiations to the building committee.

The project, which has been the subject of discussion for years, is making slow progress. Mayor Thomas Kerkhoff (CDU) had actually set the investor a deadline of the end of the summer holidays to present a concept. If this deadline passes, the city will look for a new investor. Now – almost three weeks after the end of the holidays – there is still no clear answer from the project’s financier – according to information from our newspaper, this is from Bocholt. It therefore remains unclear whether construction work can begin in 2024.

Large Edeka market

The local shopping center will include, among other things, a large Edeka market with a sales area of ​​1,500 square meters, which will be operated by Alexander Elskamp. Apartments and other retail space are also planned, including a bakery, an ice cream parlor, a bank branch, a pharmacy and a drugstore. The access road to the new center was already completed in December 2022, but so far there is no sign of a construction site.

Criticism from the Council

Criticism of Mayor Kerkhoff has caused additional controversy in recent weeks. The FDP and the city party accuse him of publishing confidential information from non-public meetings on his TikTok channel. According to the parliamentary group leaders Burkhard Henneken (FDP) and Jens Terbeck (city party), this publication could have a negative impact on the negotiations. The parties are demanding an apology from Kerkhoff and criticizing the relocation of important information to social media as “unprofessional”.

Time is of the essence as the northern part of Bocholt is struggling with below-average local supply quality. Around 13,100 residents live in the catchment area of ​​the planned center, which could significantly improve supplies. While the small Edeka market on Robert-Koch-Ring continues to operate, the market on Platanenweg has been closed since the end of 2022.

It remains unclear whether the local shopping center in Stenern will be built in the foreseeable future. All eyes are now on September 11, when the city administration will report to the building committee on the ongoing discussions.