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
K a t j a schrieb:
19, 20, 22, 17 would probably be my order.How would you rate 13 or 14, or why wouldn’t you include them on the list? Their location in the area is comparable, with the advantage of fewer immediate neighbors than the ones you mentioned, but the disadvantage of having more road frontage. Is there any other reason to rule them out?
Does anyone have an opinion on 31, which is being offered as a single-family home plot at the very south of the area? In terms of location, it would be ideal from our perspective, but with 372m² (4006 sqft) and approximately 15m (49 feet) wide by 25m (82 feet) long, it might be tight for a single-family home without a basement, making it more challenging to develop efficiently.
-Malte- schrieb:
How would you assess numbers 13 or 14, and why wouldn’t you include them on your list?Well, I’m not a big fan of corner plots. I grew up in one as a child. First of all, we had a huge hedge that needed regular trimming. Also, I always find the traffic and pedestrians make it feel busy or noisy, no matter how tall the hedge is. I wouldn’t prefer number 14 either due to the east-facing direction of the terrace.
Number 31 feels too small to me. Even though it looks fine on the plan, in reality the neighbors get closer the smaller the area is. It feels almost like a semi-detached house.
But since there are so many applicants, you can turn just about any plot into a nice home.
-Malte- schrieb:
Several posts here have gathered questions about the allocation process, which I’m happy to address. Everything is also explained on page 2 of the homepage, if you take the time to read it before asking questions out of interest.
11ant schrieb:
Is "E/D" also buildable, meaning just for one half of a semi-detached house, if the neighbor wants the other half? This assumption, if it is clearly marked as an assumption or personal opinion, is also “explained” there. The plots are explicitly designated either for single-family houses or semi-detached houses. Even if there is a development plan, there is also a design framework in place.
11ant schrieb:
Whoever submits their building application first effectively holds the buyer of the other half-plot hostage. Yes, but people who oppose everything and want to call it that might want to stay away from residential areas. Everyone else can find a way to agree, instead of being held hostage. You can, of course, also stir things up negatively.
11ant schrieb:
If the municipality were aware of the problem, it would only allow joint applications for all E/D plots. Don’t paint everything too black just because something could theoretically happen. It’s also very unlikely because, fortunately, real people—not just AI—are still sitting at the table. There are also rules regarding such joint applications. Bolded and repeated.
-Malte- schrieb:
Does anyone have an opinion on plot 31, offered as a single-family house plot farthest south? From our perspective, the location is excellent, but with 372m² (4000 ft² approx.) and about 15m (50 feet) wide by 25m (82 feet) long, it is probably tight for a single-family house without a basement, making practical building more complicated. Depends. Personally, I find it quite special, as I said at first: the green strip visually extends the plot.
However, in this forum, original posters often imagine a “single-family house without a basement” as a classic townhouse with a double garage, a large lawn for playing soccer, space for a workshop, and so on. I would of course advise against that.
Personally, I think plots 19, 20, 21, and 22 are the best.
Plot 17 suffers from traffic on Luikumer St., and on plot 16, campervans tend to be parked at the turning circle.
Corner plots require twice the upkeep when it comes to clearing snow or dirt.
With plot 21 you might get lucky and not have to pay for a fence, because the others may already put up one whether required or not, even before you say a word.
Whether you end up with a difficult neighbor next door can only really be influenced by offering friendly interaction from the start. You tend to be less unpleasant to acquaintances than to strangers.
Since the multi-family houses in the west turn out to be the row houses mentioned, I also would not mind taking the plots opposite, as I personally appreciate the row house rules and community.
Ultimately, you need to know your preferences: even a loner may want privacy but still live within a community; some enjoy the routine and health benefits of chores like morning snow shoveling; others don’t worry about it and do just fine. I, personally, am also subconsciously guided by orientation—going with my gut feeling. Visit the site, stand on the lawn, and try to get a sense of it.
M
MachsSelbst18 Apr 2025 09:58Many of these considerations depend on external factors beyond your control.
You could end up with two absolute idiots as neighbors on a corner lot and five really nice neighbors on a plot surrounded by others—or the other way around, or a mix.
The moped group at the turning circle might become a regular thing or might not.
The residential area could experience heavy through traffic due to future expansions, or it might not.
By the way, you will have heavy car traffic in front of the daycare every day—based on my own experience, I can guarantee that. There is traffic chaos in front of every daycare at 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Focus on the things you can actually influence yourself.
You could end up with two absolute idiots as neighbors on a corner lot and five really nice neighbors on a plot surrounded by others—or the other way around, or a mix.
The moped group at the turning circle might become a regular thing or might not.
The residential area could experience heavy through traffic due to future expansions, or it might not.
By the way, you will have heavy car traffic in front of the daycare every day—based on my own experience, I can guarantee that. There is traffic chaos in front of every daycare at 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Focus on the things you can actually influence yourself.
W
wiltshire18 Apr 2025 11:23-Malte- schrieb:
Does anyone have an opinion on plot 31, which is being offered as a single-family home lot in the far south? Yes, I’ve already said that I think it’s good.
MachsSelbst schrieb:
You can end up with two absolute idiots as neighbors on a corner lot and five really nice neighbors on the circled property. Or the other way around. Or a mix. That’s 100% true. The only person you (hopefully) know well beforehand is yourself, and your experience of whether you tend to have conflicts with others more or less often. That would be the key factor for me when choosing.
We lived for 18 years in a mid-terrace house with small lots in a suburb on the outskirts of Düsseldorf. There were two immediate neighbors sharing fences, and at the end of the garden a very narrow service path for garden waste transport that also connected three neighbors opposite us plus another household two houses down in our row. None of us wanted any trouble, even though lifestyles and gardening preferences varied quite a bit. We became good friends with the neighbors to our right and have maintained great contact regularly even after moving almost six years ago. That was a positive experience.
You often hear about neighborhood disputes and they can indeed become a major burden – but in real life, peaceful coexistence is usually the norm and a shared goal.
-Malte- schrieb:
Does anyone have an opinion on plot 31, which is offered as a single-family house lot located far in the south? From our perspective, the location would be great, but with 372m² (4,002 sq ft) and approximately 15m (49 feet) wide by 25m (82 feet) long, it might be tight and therefore more complicated to develop sensibly as a single-family house without a basement. I already mentioned this: I would be cautious because it is formally classified as E/D (the zoning plan takes precedence here over the sales brochure).
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