Terrace roofing for a semi-detached house

Hello.

We live in NRW and want a roof for our terrace. The dimensions are such that no building permit is required. However, the neighbor is against our plan.

We informed the city about our request and they told us on the phone that we are allowed to build a roof even without the neighbor’s permission. Now our plan is becoming concrete and we would like to have the city’s statement in writing, but now they are saying we have to apply for a building permit.

I wonder, and I haven’t found anything about this online, why the neighbor can object at all? After all, the roof is on our property. How is it supposed to be possible to maintain a 3m distance to the neighbor in a semi-detached house? And why is our neighbor such an a**hole? :-D I have been asking myself this for 35 years and there are no answers ;-)

Thank you in advance for helpful answers.

Many questions ;) One more: why don’t you play it safe and apply for the [Überdachung]?

Do you mean a canopy like the one in the photo?

Many questions ;) One more: why don’t you play it safe and apply for the roofing?

Because that will be associated with, who knows how high costs and effort

Do you mean a canopy like the awning in the photo?

Exactly, the canopy should basically be over the awning and as wide as it.

That may sound very hair-splitting, but that's how authorities think: Does the authority say that you need a building permit in order to be allowed to build? Or do you have to submit a building application so that the city confirms to you through the building permit that you are allowed to build.

It is quite possible that you are allowed to build, but the city does not want or is not allowed to provide you with legally binding information about this unless they receive money for it in the context of a building application.