ᐅ Selecting a Plot of Land – Considerations

We are once again considering applying for plots.

To the east of the development area runs a relatively busy road at the town’s edge. From this road, you can enter the development area in the southeast (see image).

Plots 1 and 2 are accessed via the road above. Plot 2 is only accessible through plot 1.

To the southwest, there is a primary school and a playground.

The letter M marks the waste bin storage area for the semi-detached houses 3–6.

In the east, there is a former industrial site where groundwater has occasionally shown contaminant levels. Therefore, restrictions apply to groundwater extraction for plots 14–22, and stricter criteria regarding excavation depth apply for plots 16–22.

Regarding the house types:

Orange indicates classic two-story villas (9.5 m (31 ft) ridge height; 6.5 m (21 ft) eaves height)
Blue shows 9.5 m (31 ft) ridge height; 4.5 m (15 ft) eaves height
Purple with 6.5 m (21 ft) ridge height is not of interest to us
Light yellow with 11 m (36 ft) ridge height is not relevant due to the road

Our current thoughts:

We have decided on a single-family house, not a semi-detached. We tend to prefer the orange house type, but the blue is also acceptable.

The farther into the residential area, the less through traffic there is. We currently live in a neighborhood with only one access point, and for the first houses, the traffic is already quite annoying.

At the same time, to the west, we are farther from the former industrial site and the town-edge road.

Preferences are for plot 9 (located deep within the development area, garden facing west, slightly larger than 14 and 15), with the limitation that waste bins would be stored there. Then plot 2 (the largest plot with over 600 m² (6,460 sq ft), garden facing southwest), with the limitation that it is only accessible via plot 1 (we are unsure if this could be inconvenient) and there might be difficulty finding the connection to the rest of the neighborhood via the separate access road.

Then plots 14 and 15 (still sufficiently far from the road and former site), with the limitation that the garden faces east.

What are your thoughts on this?
Thank you.

Here is the picture.
As mentioned, our current considerations lean towards 9, 2, 14, 15..

Mangolicious schrieb:

The further into the residential area, the less through traffic.

How many houses are we talking about? I count maybe one or two handfuls. There are only 4 plots in a row. And there are plenty of streets coming from all directions, right?
If it’s different, there should be another view. I would prefer not to have a waste collection point next door, nor would I want a corner plot.

ypg schrieb:

And there are plenty of roads from all sides, right?!
If that’s not the case, there should be a different map section. I wouldn’t want a waste collection point next door either, nor a corner plot.

Thanks for your reply. There is a road within the development area that is accessed from the southeast. Everything else is F+R = pedestrian and bicycle path. This is also shown on the map.

What is the issue with a corner plot?

A waste collection point is indeed inconvenient, although the garage would be located there and collection does not happen weekly... hmm.

Only the marked plots in the residential area plus a few semi-detached houses, which will be built later to the north and south (already shown above the gardens), are planned.

You wrote this in 2015 about corner plots:
“That is not quite correct!
You are not required to clear an entire street, only the sidewalks.
If you own a corner plot in an area without designated sidewalks, there is no 'double burden,' not even a single one in front of the property.

All of this is governed by the snow and ice removal obligations in each municipality or local authority, so it cannot be answered universally.
The maintenance costs are also regulated there. Often, the 'second side' is distributed among all owners of the affected properties.

Whether the required visual barrier is seen negatively or the openness of the property is viewed positively depends on the individual location of the plot: centrally located at the entrance of a residential area, it can be perceived as disturbing to see approaching or departing cars around two corners; further back, this can be negligible if only a few neighbors pass by the property.

And it also depends on the location of the house and the design of the plot’s perimeter areas whether one might feel disturbed.

So, generally, I would never dismiss or exclude a corner plot if you have the opportunity to acquire one.”

Best regards

Mangolicious schrieb:

Only the plotted lots in the residential area plus a few semi-detached houses.

See? Then you can simply count the passing cars and put your argument aside.

Mangolicious schrieb:

It’s also indicated on the map.

For you, yes, but not for us. Or is this a hidden objects picture? Where is the legend?

Mangolicious schrieb:

although that’s where the garage would go

But not exactly there, since the driveway is also located there. Personally, I wouldn’t find that ideal. Especially considering that hardly anyone has a hedge there to block the view of guests in the evening.

Mangolicious schrieb:

What’s wrong with a corner lot?

The lack of protection from the street, snow removal, weed control, and so on.