The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has claimed that new houses in Yorkshire and the Humber are the smallest in the UK.
RIBA research shows that the average three-bedroom home built in Yorkshire and the Humber is 13 square metres smaller than the basic recommended minimum size, with a floor area of 83 square metres. This missing space is equivalent to a double bedroom.
The benchmark which RIBA used is the London Plan space standards for a three bedroom two-storey house big enough for five people. This was introduced in 2011. There are no national standards at present.
The research forms part of Homewise, a national campaign to improve Britain’s homes, run by RIBA.
John Orrell, chair of RIBA Yorkshire Regional Council and founder member of the regional housing group, commented:
“It is difficult to accept why families in our region have to settle for less. Factors that may influence the size and affordability of new homes, such as land values and planning restrictions are equally onerous, if not more so, in many other regions of the country. There is a pressing need to build more homes in our region and throughout the UK but we should make sure that they are the right types of homes. The RIBA’s research revealed that many new homes are far smaller than recommended minimum standards and it is very disappointing that the Yorkshire and Humber region has the worst record in the country.”
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