New build means small build, says professor

A professor from the London School of Economics has warned that the UK is in the habit of building the smallest new homes in Europe as it struggles to combine the need to create new dwellings with the requirement to create greater population density.

Writing in The Density Debate, Professor Christine Whitehead commented that the desire people had for more space in which to live was at odds with these density targets and many do not like the idea of living in high-rise developments, while they are unsuitable for most families.

In recent years, building in the UK had shifted towards flats and apartments and consequently placed Britain at the foot of the European Union size league for new homes, she said.

Those seeking to avoid living in a small new home may be able to achieve this by the self build method, through which they can create a house large enough to suit their own needs and desires.

According to figures from the Optimum Population Trust pressure group, the largest population density increase in Britain over the last decade has occurred in London (up ten per cent), followed by the West Midlands at 8.79 per cent.


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