ᐅ Plot Selection in a New Residential Development for a Single-Family Home – Prioritization
Created on: 15 Apr 2025 21:22
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-Malte-
Hello everyone,
After a long wait, our city (North Rhine-Westphalia) has finally started marketing a new residential development area on the outskirts. As part of the application process, plots for single-family homes and semi-detached houses are allocated according to a certain distribution logic. We expect to have the opportunity to purchase and will then need to choose quickly from the remaining available plots. The exact timing of when it will be our turn is unclear, so as a preparation, we would like to establish our personal ranking of all the plots.
What are our requirements?
As a family of four (38, 35, 5, 2), we want to build a single-family house (~150-160m² (1600-1720 sq ft) preferably without a basement, with a pitched roof) including a carport/garage. Basically, no special requirements that would directly affect the choice of the plot.
Regarding the plot, we primarily want a location for a single-family home that is as quiet as possible within the development area (noise/through traffic) (priority 1 requirement). Of course, orientation and overall size are also important, but come after the first factor.
What does the development plan specify?
Here are what I consider the most important details from the development plan, which apply equally to all offered plots:
Since linking is not allowed here: the full development plan can be quickly found online by searching “Bocholt Bebauungsplan 8-23 Loikumer Weg”.
Which plots are for sale?
There are 21 plots for single-family homes and 7 plots for semi-detached houses on sale. The price is uniform at €220/m² (€220 per sq m) including development costs. The plots are currently farmland and completely flat. I have attached an aerial photo, an excerpt from the development plan, and a non-binding building concept (only the numbered plots are available for sale).
For more information, the full brochure can also be found online by searching “Bocholt Wohnbaugrundstücke Mussum - Loikumer Weg”.
The development area will be a mixed-use zone: alongside single-family and semi-detached homes, there will be a daycare center, apartment buildings, and a playground. To the west of the development is a federal road, so the western section will be built as continuous development (noise protection facing the road; exact design still unknown). There are three larger apartment buildings to the north. Given the apartment buildings in the north and west, I expect increased through traffic and activity within the development — it will not be a purely quiet single-family home neighborhood. Therefore, when selecting plots, our main focus will be on achieving as much quietness as possible.
Questions for you?
We have been considering which plots have which advantages and even have a few favorites. I’m deliberately not naming them yet to get as unbiased feedback as possible. What would be your favorites, and what aspects would you focus on to best meet our requirements?
Best regards,
Malte
After a long wait, our city (North Rhine-Westphalia) has finally started marketing a new residential development area on the outskirts. As part of the application process, plots for single-family homes and semi-detached houses are allocated according to a certain distribution logic. We expect to have the opportunity to purchase and will then need to choose quickly from the remaining available plots. The exact timing of when it will be our turn is unclear, so as a preparation, we would like to establish our personal ranking of all the plots.
What are our requirements?
As a family of four (38, 35, 5, 2), we want to build a single-family house (~150-160m² (1600-1720 sq ft) preferably without a basement, with a pitched roof) including a carport/garage. Basically, no special requirements that would directly affect the choice of the plot.
Regarding the plot, we primarily want a location for a single-family home that is as quiet as possible within the development area (noise/through traffic) (priority 1 requirement). Of course, orientation and overall size are also important, but come after the first factor.
What does the development plan specify?
Here are what I consider the most important details from the development plan, which apply equally to all offered plots:
- 2 full stories with floor area ratio of 0.4 and total floor space ratio of 0.8
- Base height max. 0.5m (1.5 ft), eaves height max. 6.5m (21 ft), ridge height max. 11.0m (36 ft)
- Roof type:
- If two full stories:
- Flat roof or shed roof with pitch between 22° and 30°.
- Alternatively, stepped stories with flat roof or low-pitched roof up to 16°.
- If one full story: no specification regarding roof type or pitch
- Dormers, roof extensions, and loggias are not allowed
- Garages, carports & outbuildings only within the building zone or adjacent to the side boundary. A 5m (16 ft) clearance must be maintained before garage driveways (excluding carports). Exceeding the garden-side building line is permitted up to a depth of 2m (6.5 ft).
Since linking is not allowed here: the full development plan can be quickly found online by searching “Bocholt Bebauungsplan 8-23 Loikumer Weg”.
Which plots are for sale?
There are 21 plots for single-family homes and 7 plots for semi-detached houses on sale. The price is uniform at €220/m² (€220 per sq m) including development costs. The plots are currently farmland and completely flat. I have attached an aerial photo, an excerpt from the development plan, and a non-binding building concept (only the numbered plots are available for sale).
For more information, the full brochure can also be found online by searching “Bocholt Wohnbaugrundstücke Mussum - Loikumer Weg”.
The development area will be a mixed-use zone: alongside single-family and semi-detached homes, there will be a daycare center, apartment buildings, and a playground. To the west of the development is a federal road, so the western section will be built as continuous development (noise protection facing the road; exact design still unknown). There are three larger apartment buildings to the north. Given the apartment buildings in the north and west, I expect increased through traffic and activity within the development — it will not be a purely quiet single-family home neighborhood. Therefore, when selecting plots, our main focus will be on achieving as much quietness as possible.
Questions for you?
We have been considering which plots have which advantages and even have a few favorites. I’m deliberately not naming them yet to get as unbiased feedback as possible. What would be your favorites, and what aspects would you focus on to best meet our requirements?
Best regards,
Malte
Thanks again for your input and the thought-provoking comments.
Sorry for the confusion with the different numbers—I didn’t realize that until now I had been posting the marketing numbers and only recently the parcel numbers. For the plots in the north (107, 108, and partially 118), the main reason is their proximity to the tall multi-family building on parcel 119, which likely causes more disturbance than in the southern areas.
In the end, we keep coming back to 93, 103, and 102—let’s see if one of these will work out.
Sorry for the confusion with the different numbers—I didn’t realize that until now I had been posting the marketing numbers and only recently the parcel numbers. For the plots in the north (107, 108, and partially 118), the main reason is their proximity to the tall multi-family building on parcel 119, which likely causes more disturbance than in the southern areas.
In the end, we keep coming back to 93, 103, and 102—let’s see if one of these will work out.
-Malte- schrieb:
In the end, we always end up with 93, 103, or 102 – let’s see which one it will be. More vehicles pass by there, almost 80% of the residential area. What is your preferred orientation? Have you considered a south-north (SN) orientation? Where would your garden be located? To the north?
ypg schrieb:
More vehicles pass by there, almost 80% of the residential area. What is your preferred orientation? Have you already considered a south-north alignment? Where would the garden be in your case? To the north? I actually expected the traffic to be different. There are two vehicle access points and, additionally, one entrance to the north exclusively for pedestrians and bicycles. Depending on the exact design of the likely multi-family buildings on plots 119, 120, and 121, I think the traffic will be roughly evenly split, about 50%/50%, between the two vehicle access points.
The exact placement and dimensions of the houses are not yet clear to us. One initial idea would be to place a house on plot 93 to the north, as a boundary to the street, and orient the garden accordingly to the south and possibly west. For plot 103, the garden would presumably end up facing north/west.
Do you see it differently?
W
wiltshire27 May 2025 10:36Plot 123 (or 31) in the south is significantly smaller but, in my opinion, also ideally located. While a less favorable location is difficult to compensate for, a small plot size can be wonderfully utilized with a very good design.
I placed this plot in my top 3 at the beginning of the thread. It would probably be my choice, even though I am a declared supporter of large plots. Those, however, are not available here and would likely be unaffordable for the average person in a suburban area.
I assess the traffic situation similarly to @ypg.
I placed this plot in my top 3 at the beginning of the thread. It would probably be my choice, even though I am a declared supporter of large plots. Those, however, are not available here and would likely be unaffordable for the average person in a suburban area.
I assess the traffic situation similarly to @ypg.
W
wiltshire27 May 2025 10:55Additional note: I looked at the location in the town, whose city center I also know personally, on the satellite image. It’s a great place to raise a family. A fifteen-minute bike ride to the charming city center and right next to the edge of the fields. Besides car traffic, bicycle traffic is likely also important. Although they are not noisy, cyclists can disturb children playing outside. Are you familiar with the current situation at Grüner Weg via Kreuzkamp? Are there already many cyclists there today? They might prefer to take the route through the residential area if Haydnstraße is connected to Kreuzweg.
It’s interesting that you estimate the traffic on Haydn Street to be much higher compared to Backes Street.
For us, the location within Bocholt is also ideal :-) We already live in Mussum, not far from there, and as you rightly point out, it’s quick to get into green areas but also easy to access the main road toward work or family who live in the villages further south. Cycling is always a major topic in Bocholt as a highly bike-friendly city. However, I assess the traffic from Grüner Weg / Loikumer Weg through the new residential area toward Kreuzkamp / Bömkesweg as rather low. It’s not a typical through route.
The plot you mentioned, 123 (31), is still on our minds. As you said, the location in the development is ideal. With dimensions of 15m x 25m (49 feet x 82 feet), fitting everything in will be a challenge. In my view, the house would have to be very narrow—practically a “detached semi-detached house” layout. Most likely, a basement will be unavoidable, and even then, the floor area ratio will probably cause issues with creating suitable terraces and parking spaces. The plot is visually extended at the back by the adjacent green area. However, the southern orientation is somewhat limited in practice regarding natural light. The row of trees along the south-facing street, Siegeheide, is dense and tall. In the attached photo, you can see the large tree directly behind the property, which, according to the development plan, has a trunk diameter of 0.9m (3 feet) and a crown diameter of 20m (66 feet). During my recent visits at different times of day, it appeared to me that for much of the day the plot is practically in full shade.
For us, the location within Bocholt is also ideal :-) We already live in Mussum, not far from there, and as you rightly point out, it’s quick to get into green areas but also easy to access the main road toward work or family who live in the villages further south. Cycling is always a major topic in Bocholt as a highly bike-friendly city. However, I assess the traffic from Grüner Weg / Loikumer Weg through the new residential area toward Kreuzkamp / Bömkesweg as rather low. It’s not a typical through route.
The plot you mentioned, 123 (31), is still on our minds. As you said, the location in the development is ideal. With dimensions of 15m x 25m (49 feet x 82 feet), fitting everything in will be a challenge. In my view, the house would have to be very narrow—practically a “detached semi-detached house” layout. Most likely, a basement will be unavoidable, and even then, the floor area ratio will probably cause issues with creating suitable terraces and parking spaces. The plot is visually extended at the back by the adjacent green area. However, the southern orientation is somewhat limited in practice regarding natural light. The row of trees along the south-facing street, Siegeheide, is dense and tall. In the attached photo, you can see the large tree directly behind the property, which, according to the development plan, has a trunk diameter of 0.9m (3 feet) and a crown diameter of 20m (66 feet). During my recent visits at different times of day, it appeared to me that for much of the day the plot is practically in full shade.
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