Government aims to curb construction of ‘rabbit hutch’ homes

A consultation has been launched today (20th August) as the government looks to implement basic space standards for homes, reports bbc.co.uk. According to ft.com, the government also aims to make housebuilding easier by scrapping around 90 different housing standards, such as the requirement for homes to collect their own rain water in areas where there is a water shortage. Currently, the average new-build one bedroom home has the same amount of space as a London tube carriage, causing homeowners to become stuck in ‘rabbit hutch’ houses, as there are no minimum space standards in place at the moment. The properties are so small that developers have had to cut down furniture size and add plenty of mirrors in order to make the house seem bigger than it actually is. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) supports the idea, saying that small homes are putting buyers off from purchasing new builds. Chief executive of RIBA, Harry Rich, said: “Our public research has repeatedly revealed that space in new homes is a major concern. Our surveys have revealed that 60 per cent of people who would not buy a new home said the small size of rooms was the most important reason.” Author: Laura VarleyDate: 20 August 2013

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