Diversity in the housing market is the only way to solve the UK’s housing issues, according to a report published today which brings together insights into the future of Britain’s housing market.
The Homes of the Future report, published by Origin, a British manufacturer of bi-fold doors and windows, highlights a need for a multi solutions approach if the government is to meet its housing targets. It brings together discussions from a roundtable with some of the nation’s industry thinkers, house builders and developers.
A fresh approach to the rules on building on Green Belt land, the shift towards open plan living, and a need to invest in modern methods of construction while encouraging fresh blood into the construction industry, are issues covered within the report.
Barratt Developments, Grosvenor, URBED, the Home Builders Federation and Solidspace, as well as futurist Dr Patrick Dixon and Prof. Christine Whitehead from the London School of Economics were involved in the report, which also identifies a need to update the UK’s ‘outdated’ home valuation process, with a greater focus on sustainable mortgages.
Andrew Halsall, managing director at Origin, said: “More diversity in housing was a pivotal conclusion from the roundtable, which aimed to identify the key changes that need to be made if the UK housing industry is to meet the demands of homeowners, while ensuring British manufacturers and house builders thrive in the future.
“Building homes that people want to live in can only be achieved by offering variety in the housing market. A home is more than just bricks and mortar, and as a country, we have a great emotional attachment to our homes. We want them to be as individual as we are, while also being a functional space for us and our families to live.”
The report determines how encouraging heterogeneity will benefit both the industry and house buyers in the future. By supporting smaller house builders and encouraging a diverse market, only then will the government meet the demand of first time buyers as it aims to build 200,000 new homes by 2020.
To view the full Homes of the Future report, please visit this link.
