Recommendation air-water heat pump vs. local near heating network KFW40 new building

For me, it is a deal-breaker to surrender myself to a monopolist (district heating).

For me, it is a deal-breaker to surrender to a monopolist (district heating).

I agree. But if it really is the only option, you are not surrendering yourself, you just have to prepare for switchability to another supply method (and space for your own "boiler or similar"). Being free from all the chimney sweep rigmarole is basically a fine thing. The district heating just has to be district heating, not local-low heating or medium-range heating; and the contract a contract, not a pact with the devil.

do you have a condensing boiler?

I don't think I have a condensing boiler, but to be honest I’m not really familiar with that. How would I recognize it?

How big is the house?

At the moment 280 sqm, after the garage extension it’s almost 360 sqm. So it’s quite a big one. Upper floor including extension, ground floor, basement and practice room in the cellar.
Exposed roof truss and double-glazed wooden windows all around.

These days it’s unbearably hot in the upper floor again (29-30 degrees), so I’ve also been thinking about one or more multi-split air conditioners. It feels like there are quite a few construction sites regarding the heating system right now. I’m therefore trying to get an energy consultant in the next few days and hope he can help me further.

I see it the same way. But if it really is just one option, you are not exposing yourself, but only have to prepare the switchability to another supply method (and space for your own "boiler or the like"). Being free from all the chimney sweep fuss is basically a good thing at first. The district heating only has to be district heating, not "Nahlauwärme" or medium-distance heating; and the contract a contract, not a pact with the devil.

The district heating should actually go online in autumn. So far, no excavator has rolled. Neither the wood chip plant nor the pipelines have been implemented. There are also no draft contracts yet. At the moment, I would tend towards a heat pump (brine-water or air-water variant) including photovoltaics and storage. I'm curious to see if the energy consultant can help me at this point.