Housing

After the abolition of Parker Morris in 1980, the size of UK housing fell. A RIBA report The Case for Space written in 2011 showed that the average private new build home in the UK was only 92% of the recommended minimum in Parker Morris. The authors conclude we have the smallest homes in Europe and that this has real consequences on our health, family relationships and the educational attainment of children.

Since that time many councils have introduced minimum space housing space standards. The most influential is the GLA’s London Housing Design Guide published in 2010 that covers the overall size of homes, circulation, the size of different rooms, storage, home working and external space.

In 2015 the Government published Nationally Described Space Standards. These apply to England and include minimum areas for new housing based on how many bedrooms, bed spaces and storeys the home has. These standards are the same as the London Guide and also include some guidance on minimum sizes for bedrooms and storage space. Local authorities are able to apply these standards through the planning system provided that they have considered viability and demonstrated ‘local need’. Currently, there are no equivalent space standards in Wales and Scotland.

Visitable: Homes that are visitable by people with disabilities, particularly wheelchair users. This requires that there is level access to the main living room and a WC on the entrance floor.

• Lifetime Homes: Homes that are ‘accessible and adaptable’, meaning that if the occupant becomes disabled the house can be converted to their needs (also sometimes known as the ‘Lifetime Homes Standard’).

• Accessible: Homes that are either laid out to accommodate wheelchairs, but not yet fitted out, or are fully accessible for a wheelchair user.

The English Building Regulations only require developers to build to the first of these levels but local planning policy can go further. The Scottish regulations go a little further but stop short of the second level.

Accessible homes should be adapted to the needs of the occupier so it wouldn’t be sensible to apply to all housing. The debate is over Lifetime homes and many people argue that, because any of us could become disabled, all homes should be adaptable. This is something that communities may want to consider particularly where many local people are older. Given our ageing population, it is imperative that we plan for our future as well as current needs, so that all homes meet the needs of all ages.

The environment inside the home has a huge impact on health. People need to be able to heat their homes in a way that is affordable (we return to this in the Nature section).

For energy efficient homes care also needs to be taken to avoid overheating. Poor ventilation can harm the internal air quality and lead to condensation and mould. Levels of daylight and sun have a huge impact on mental health and can be a particular problem on the lower floors of high-density schemes. Noise is also an important issue both between neighbouring properties and within the home between rooms.

These issues are dealt with through a combination of the Building Regulations and Planning. England, Scotland and Wales also have ‘Decent’ or ‘Quality’ Homes standards but these only apply to social housing, setting the minimum standards for energy efficiency, condition and warmth. Although these set minimum standards, communities may want to go further.

Pressure your local planning authority to include the Nationally Described Space Standards in local policy. Where groups are involved in developing new homes they should take an interest in the proposed house types and compare them to the London Housing Design Guide. It might even be possible to source some large sheets of cardboard and create full-scale models of the house interiors in a local community centre.

Include space standards in the brief for all new housing and consider whether it is appropriate to use Lifetime Homes. Undertake daylight and overshadowing studies, particularly in high-density schemes, considering both the development and existing accommodation in the surrounding area.

Include the Nationally Described Space Standards in local planning policy and consider the application of Lifetime Homes. Check the space standards of all planning applications and the implications of daylight and overshadowing.