Is a duplex with multiple units allowed?

Hello,

I did ask my architect, he glanced over the development plan and said "no problem," but I still want to be absolutely sure, since the matter doesn’t seem so simple. There are apparently court rulings about this, I have read some of them, but unfortunately haven’t become any wiser.

I want to build a "semi-detached house" with two entrance doors and a total of 4 residential units on the marked plot in NRW in a new development area. Each half of this semi-detached house should consist of 2 almost full floors + 1 attic floor. The ground floor represents one apartment, the first floor and attic together form another apartment.

Of course, all specified dimensions, distances, etc. will be observed.

It is solely a question of whether such a house with 4 apartments is allowed to be built on this plot.

I will upload the relevant extracts from the development plan and would like to have your opinion on it.

Thank you!

nevertheless, I want to be absolutely sure

You don’t really expect complete certainty here in the forum, do you? I can confirm your architect’s statement, but you only achieve complete certainty with a planning law preliminary building inquiry.

There are probably court rulings about it

About what? Due to the lack of a building code definition of the terms single-family house, semi-detached house, terraced house, there is indeed repeated confusion, almost always in connection with the residential units, which do not even appear in "your" development plan. Therefore, I cannot understand what you consider problematic. From a planning law perspective, your project is a single-family house, as it complies with the setback requirements from all property boundaries. Your single-family house consists of two residential buildings, each containing two residential units.

Your single-family house consists of two residential buildings, each containing two residential units.

4 residential units usually also mean 4 parking spaces...

4 residential units usually also mean 4 parking spaces...

Alternatively underground parking

4 residential units usually also mean 4 parking spaces...

...or depending on the apartment size and municipality, even 8 parking spaces - a look at the municipality's parking space regulations provides information.

You don't expect complete certainty here in the forum, do you? I can confirm your architect's statement, but full certainty can only be achieved with a planning law building inquiry.

About what?
Due to the lack of a building law definition of the terms single-family house, semi-detached house, terraced house, there is always confusion, almost always in connection with the residential units that do not even appear in "your" development plan. Therefore, I cannot understand what you find problematic.

From a planning law perspective, your project is a single-family house, since it complies with the setback distances to all property boundaries. Your single-family house consists of two residential buildings, each containing two residential units.

I did not submit a building inquiry in writing, but in our two consultation meetings with the officials from the building authority, I repeatedly mentioned that there will be several residential units in this house. However, no objection was raised, and I didn’t think much of it until I read yesterday that a single-family house with several residential units could be considered a multi-family house, etc. But many court rulings disagree and sided with the home builders.

It has also become clear to me by now that my project represents a “single-family house” with two buildings and a total of four residential units. I had all along assumed it was a semi-detached house.

There is no problem with the parking spaces either; there will be four as well as two garages.

I also read that at least in NRW, as of January 2019, the parking space obligation has been repealed, just mentioning it in passing.