Housebuilding completions: by number of bedrooms, England
In 2005/06, 42 per cent of newly built homes in England had two bedrooms compared with only 25 per cent in 2001/02. The proportion with four or more bedrooms fell from 37 per cent to 21 per cent over the same period.
During the 1990s and into the early years of the 21st century the proportion of larger newly built homes in England increased steadily. Between 1991/92 and 2001/02 the proportion of newly built homes with four or more bedrooms increased from 20 per cent to 37 per cent, overtaking 3 bedroom homes as the most common type of new build in 2001/02.
In contrast, the proportion of newly built homes with two bedrooms fell from 32 per cent in 1991/92 to 25 per cent in 2001/02. The proportion of newly built homes with one bedroom also fell from 19 per cent in 1991/92 to 6 per cent in 2002/03, but has since risen to 10 per cent in 2005/06.
In recent years there has been a shift away from house building to flat building. In 2005/06, 46 per cent of new dwellings completed in England were flats, compared with 26 per cent in 1991/92 and 15 per cent in 1997/98.
The construction of flats is an efficient way of using land for house building. Between 1995 and 2005 the average density of new homes built in England increased from 24 to 40 per hectare. During this period there were increases in the density of newly built homes in each of the English regions. The increase was particularly large in London where the density of newly built homes doubled from 48 to 100 per hectare.
Source: Department for Communities and Local Government
Notes: Housebuilding completions include all houses and flats.
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Housebuilding Statistical Release