Commercial→residential conversions in Berlin and Cologne: a BauGB §§34/35 and Bebauungsplan checklist

What the statutes say: Bebauungsplan, §34 and §35 BauGB

Two statutory routes control whether a commercial‑to‑residential conversion needs a planning permission in Germany: (1) the Bebauungsplan (binding local development plan) inside its scope; and (2) the general rules for sites without a Bebauungsplan, governed by Baugesetzbuch (BauGB) §§34 and 35. The Bebauungsplan (B-Plan) is the municipal instrument that “rechtsverbindlich festsetzt, wie die einzelnen Grundstücke genutzt und bebaut werden dürfen.” Consult the city B‑Plan search or map first; if a B‑Plan applies, its Festsetzungen determine whether residential use is permitted. (Berlin and Cologne maintain searchable B‑Plan portals.)

Where there is no B‑Plan, §34 BauGB (Zulässigkeit innerhalb im Zusammenhang bebaute Ortsteile) makes the test the "Eigenart der näheren Umgebung" — in practice: is the proposed residential use compatible with the immediate neighbourhood as it exists? If the site lies in the Außenbereich, §35 BauGB is more restrictive and permits new uses only in tight, statutory circumstances. These are the three legal backstops you must locate and read before you bid.

Practical checklist to spot permit blockers before you bid

1) Is there a Bebauungsplan? — Use the city B‑Plan search/map. If a B‑Plan applies, read its Festsetzungen: they can allow, prohibit or condition residential use for the parcel. If the plan forbids housing, conversion is normally blocked unless the municipality amends the plan. (See the city B‑Plan search pages for Cologne and Berlin.)

2) If no B‑Plan: locate the built‑up area status. If the parcel is inside a „im Zusammenhang bebauten Ortsteil“, §34 controls: ask the local Bauaufsichtsamt how the "Eigenart der näheren Umgebung" has been interpreted for similar conversions in the neighbourhood. If the parcel is Außenbereich, treat §35 as a likely blocker unless you find a statutory exception.

3) Check municipal use‑controls such as Zweckentfremdung rules. Cologne explicitly warns that apartments may only be used otherwise after permission from the Amt für Wohnungswesen; converting residential inventory away from housing can therefore be refused locally. Consider also whether a temporary 12‑month Nutzungsänderungsanzeige is possible as a stopgap (Cologne provides a 12‑month notification option in some cases).

4) Technical dossier — request the list of required application documents from the local Bauaufsichtsamt: Cologne publishes required documents (e.g., Lageplan, brandschutz‑attest where required). If authorities explicitly require specialist certificates (fire safety, statics, extraction/ventilation for kitchens), those are time and cost drivers that can kill a bid if discovered late.

5) Read recent local decisions and lists. Berlin district approval lists and B‑Plan reasoning documents show how conditions (for example social‑housing Festsetzungen) can make a conversion uneconomic. Ask for the municipality’s Genehmigungs‑/Vorkaufsakte for the plot if you can.

Berlin vs Cologne — concrete municipal pointers

Berlin: the Senatsverwaltung and Bezirke publish B‑Plan procedures and the Flächennutzungsplan online; where the Senate or a district is preparing a B‑Plan the plan text and Begründung show use‑requirements and possible social‑housing obligations. District Genehmigungslisten (example: Berlin‑Mitte lists current Nutzungsänderungen) are useful to see how the authority treats comparable conversions.

Cologne: the city publishes a specific Nutzungsänderungs‑product page and an application page that explains when a formal Nutzungsänderung is needed, which procedure applies, and that converting existing apartments away from housing requires explicit approval from the Amt für Wohnungswesen. Cologne also allows in some cases a 12‑month Nutzungsänderungsanzeige as a temporary measure; the city’s B‑Plan search lists binding plans and their Festsetzungen.

Next steps for bidders and what to ask the seller

Before you bid, obtain: (a) the parcel’s Bebauungsplan extract or a screenshot from the city’s B‑Plan map; (b) any recent Genehmigungslisten or Bauakten excerpts for the property; (c) a written statement from the vendor about past notifications or refusals on Nutzungsänderung; and (d) a preliminary list from the local Bauaufsichtsamt of documents that would be required for a conversion (for Cologne this list is published). If the B‑Plan excludes residential use, treat the plot as blocked unless you have a firm municipal commitment to change the plan — plan changes are uncertain and lengthy.

If you need detailed, transaction‑specific risk allocation or an enforceable timeline, instruct a German planning lawyer and a local architect or building engineer to obtain a formal Vorbescheid or to run a feasibility meeting with the Bauaufsichtsamt. This article explains where to look first; for binding legal or tax advice instruct a German solicitor or Steuerberater.