Before you make more detailed plans for how you will develop a property you have purchased or intend to purchase, you should clarify what is specified in the corresponding zoning plan.

The approved zoning plan legally specifies which buildings and other structures are permitted on a property. Provisions are established, among other things,

• regarding the type of land use (e.g., residential, mixed-use, commercial),
• the extent of building use (e.g., floor area ratio, plot ratio, height, number of full stories),
• the construction method (open or closed construction),
• the buildable area of the lot
• and local traffic areas.

A simple zoning plan, which does not meet the requirements of a qualified zoning plan, contains only individual provisions as binding regulations and is supplemented by the provisions of Sections 34 and 35 of the Building Code (BauGB), which are to be applied in conjunction with it.