Bold new approaches are needed to raise the standard of new-build homes and unlock the 'hidden market' for high quality housing in the UK, according to a new discussion paper from the Royal Institute for British Architects (RIBA).

Improving Housing Quality: Unlocking the Market raises concerns about the impact of the recession leading to further deterioration in housing quality, and examines some of the underlying systemic problems which continue to undermine standards and limit consumer choice and confidence in the new-build housing market.

The paper calls for a move away from short-term speculative housebuilding, suggesting that new partnerships between more-autonomous local authorities, institutional investors and local community groups with a long-term stake in new housing development may be the most effective way of addressing the poor quality of many new housing developments in the UK.

The report also considers opening up the market to allow new players, including local co-operatives and self-builders in order to help increase competition in the housebuilding sector, with individuals and communities able to work with local authorities and developers to build the homes and communities they need.

The RIBA report identifies the following factors as barriers to good design quality:

Insufficient competition in the market for new homes

Insufficient choice and market freedom for consumers and communities

A process of land acquisition and engrained problems within the planning system that lead to land speculation, higher prices and insufficient consideration of design quality


It also considers the impact on design quality caused by the economic crisis on falling land values and the associated pressure on housebuilders to retain their profit margins.

Key recommendations for discussion include:

Local authorities to have more autonomy and play a more proactive role in development, both through greater financial independence and access to design expertise

A reshaping of the planning system so that the costs associated with producing a good quality product are reduced, including the introduction of permitted development and community led design codes and master plans

More contextual and flexible density targets and a recalibration of housing targets, incorporating the type, quality and size of new homes

Government should encourage new players into the market for new homes, bringing in new investors and the introduction of quotas for self-build and co-operative led development on public sector land

A kitemark system should be used, administered by central government, indicating that a particular home meets an advised minimum size for a certain number of occupants

All advertisements for individual houses should be required to show the overall floor area, the size of the main rooms and/or the price per sq ft.


RIBA president Ruth Reed said, "There is a clear need to build more new homes in the UK, but we need to make sure that the homes we build are attractive to consumers and that will stand the test of time. There is no doubt that the new build market in the UK needs serious and immediate attention; not only to contend with the quantity, but also the quality of the properties available.”

"We are concerned that the pressures of the recession and the severe housing shortage in some areas may lead to a further deterioration in quality. We need to ensure that this does not happen, which is why we've commissioned a discussion paper to help inform future RIBA policy, enabling us to examine in detail and address complex and ingrained issues in our housing sector which have led to poor quality housing. I look forward to working with colleagues in the industry and Government to take this debate forward."


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