Government said to back new-build minimum space standards

The government has signed up to a campaign to introduce minimum space standards for new build houses and apartments in a bid to stop the creation of more “shoe box homes” according to the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

RIBA says it has convinced the government to introduce a space standard requirement across the whole of England to ensure that the millions of new homes being planned and built are fit for purpose and able to meet the requirements of the people who live in them.

The UK has the smallest new build homes in the whole of Western Europe - smaller than countries including The Netherlands which has less space and even higher population density levels. 

RIBA research has revealed Yorkshire for example, a county with one of the lowest population densities in England, has been building the smallest new build homes in England.

Introducing a minimum space standard has been a major campaign for RIBA and 2,850 people backed its call for the introduction of this standard during a consultation in 2013 – a high turnout for a response to a Department for Communities and Local Government technical consultation.

Now RIBA says the government has pledged to introduce minimum space standards for all new build homes across England.

Local authorities will be able to sign up to a national minimum space standards to ensure that any proposals for new housing in their area is required to meet this requirement, says RIBA.