Bargin a Bungalow! Bungalows are back in. Living on one level is on its way back – and it has moved far beyond the bungalow. Now longhouses, lodges, converted barns and unique self-build homes are firmly on the ground floor as increasing numbers refuse to construct more than a single storey. The reason is arcane, but at the heart of Britain’s planning system (1). The coalition Government’s clean sweep of Labour planning laws means density targets which used to insist on 30 homes built on every hectare of developed land have been scrapped. Those targets meant that until recently, many new developments had to consist of three-storey houses or blocks of flats, and anyone renovating older single-storey homes was often encouraged instead to demolish and build a larger one on the site. As a result, the single-storey home almost disappeared: only 300 bungalows were built across Britain in 2009. But now developers are going low-rise for the first time in years, although they avoid anything that looks too like the staid, old-fashioned bungalow. The irony is that, when you look at bungalows on the market, some have seen better days, but plenty of others offer truly fantastic accommodation. It can be perfect for green-fingered retirees with visiting grandchildren, for example, and at an attractive price. In the US and Australia and other countries with lots of wide open space, bungalows have long been popular, even fashionable (2). There, they are regarded as offering stylish accommodation with land attached. Here we have been a bit slow to see their potential. There may not be enough bungalows to satisfy demand, which is a shame. But let us at least agree that bungalows need not be yesterday’s homes, an outmoded type of property. They can be a vital part of our housing stock. Check out some renovating bungalow tips here: telegraph.co.uk/property/renovatinganddiy/10360429/Renovators-big-up-your-bungalow.html 1:telegraph.co.uk/property/propertymarket/8704169/Bungalow-living-is-on-the-up.html 2:telegraph.co.uk/property/luxuryhomes/11077724/Bungalows-are-back-in-fashion.html
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 09:11:54 +0000
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