New research reveals that over the last two decades the number of two-up, two-down houses being built has fallen by 50%.
In 2017/18, only 2% of new-build properties for sale in some areas of the UK were two bedroom houses, and across the property market as a whole, just 9% were in this category, according to data produced by modular housing developer, Project Etopia.
In 1992/93 and 1993/94, when data was initially collected, two-bedroom houses were at a high accounting for 23% of all newly built homes, but since 2012/13 this figure has not gone above 10%.
Project Etopia’s CEO, Joseph Daniels said: “Inevitably, couples are finding it increasingly difficult to buy smaller two-bedroom homes because developers have simply stopped building enough of them. Historically, the two-up, two-down was the first house for new homeowners, a modest home with enough space to start a family.”
“Developers need to remember they’re building for people, not just profit. Decades of inadequate home building has resulted in hundreds of thousands of people unable to afford to buy a place of their own.”
Project Etopia says that the scarcity of housing supply at this level is making it more difficult for first-time buyers to get onto the housing ladder.
Zoopla records zero two bedroom new build
Digital property portal Zoopla has discovered that in some parts of the country such as Blackburn, Bolton, Darlington, Gateshead and Gosport there are almost no new-build two bedroom houses for sale and none available in Hastings, Rochdale, Slough, Stevenage, Wigan and Worcester.
In Durham, Stafford, Cambridge, Birmingham, Nottingham and Crawley the level of three or more bedroom properties accounts for 97% of all new-build homes.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s completion data shows houses made up 80% of new-build properties in 2017/2018, with flats making up the remainder.
