Build homes with smaller rooms so young people can afford them? Cue Monty Python’s ‘Four Yorkshiremen’

Last Updated: October 6, 2016By
The UK already builds the smallest houses in Europe.

The UK already builds the smallest houses in Europe.

“This is not satire,” wrote Will Thorpe on Twitter. “Tory housing minister wants young people to live in tiny rooms to solve housing crisis.”

“Cue Four Yorkshiremen ‘we used to live in shoebox in’t middle of motorway, but it were a home to us'”, responded Chris C.

Glad to:

Private housing developers should build homes with smaller rooms that do not meet existing minimum space standards so that young people can afford to buy them, the housing minister has said.

Gavin Barwell told the Conservative conference in Birmingham that he wanted the private sector to “innovate” to solve the housing crisis and that relaxing the rules on how cramped a flat can be might stop young people from being priced out.

The minister said that although most people “given the choice” would like to live in a reasonably sized home, this might not be possible for young people.

Source: Build homes with smaller rooms so young people can afford them, Tory housing minister says | The Independent

Incidentally, how big is Gavin Barwell’s house?

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16 Comments

  1. Paul October 6, 2016 at 5:26 am - Reply

    Tory “choice” can only be exercised by those with the money to do so, if you lack such resources you have no power of “choice” at all other than the “choice” to live in ever increasing poverty, in worse and ever more expensive housing, with more and more interference by the powers that be and punishments if you stray from the Conservative desideratum – work all the hours that God sends, whether you are able to or not, until you drop.

  2. David October 6, 2016 at 6:32 am - Reply

    Perhaps they intend to use the idea of the Japanese Capsule hotels as housing
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsule_hotel

  3. NMac October 6, 2016 at 7:21 am - Reply

    All part of turning the clock back to the 19th century. They haven’t yet dared to mention workhouses, but its only a matter of time.

  4. Tony Dean October 6, 2016 at 7:27 am - Reply

    Developers have been building houses like that since the 1960s.

    • Mike Sivier October 6, 2016 at 11:58 am - Reply

      Think “even smaller”.

  5. jaguarjon October 6, 2016 at 8:46 am - Reply

    We already live in the smallest square-metre dwellings in the ‘developed’ world. Every scrap of London is rented out….another snapshot from the privileged World of Westminster.

  6. Chris Bergin. October 6, 2016 at 9:04 am - Reply

    Seem to remember they did this before in ‘sainted Margarets’ day. Used to be ‘Parker Morris Standards so that council/all houses complied with minimum standards to combat the effects of poor housing conditions effected by the landlords of Victoria’s era. Didnt take long to dismantle that so that they could start building the new slums with all the ills of overcowding.

  7. Roland October 6, 2016 at 9:32 am - Reply

    We must have the smallest accomodation in Europe looking a the housing up the road where I live they come with a garage and most people have there Washing Machines, Tumble Drier, Fridge, and Food, etc, etc, etc,in them and most non of them can have a table to have there meals off and the bathroom have a shower as there is no room for a bath and these are about £159,000 average

    • Dez October 6, 2016 at 1:53 pm - Reply

      One comment that captured the greed of these developers was a complaint that their garage was so small their normal sized car could only just carefully get access however they could not open the doors to get out. These developers are now just taking the #### in the name of their greed coupled with terrible quality and very little if no management or quality control. A scandal.

  8. Barry Davies October 6, 2016 at 9:54 am - Reply

    Clearly he hasn’t been to a modern housing estate, the rooms have been getting smaller for housing people can afford, perhaps in the multi million quid homes this hasn’t happened.

  9. plexity October 6, 2016 at 12:40 pm - Reply

    That’s actually not Python, I think it’s from At Last the 1948 Show

    • Mike Sivier October 6, 2016 at 1:26 pm - Reply

      It is indeed – that’s where the sketch was first performed. But it has become synonymous with Monty Python after the Pythons performed it.

  10. Brian October 6, 2016 at 12:51 pm - Reply

    Gavin Barwell ought to educate himself on the subject he purports to know. Minimum cubic meters of space per room and dwelling were devised to prevent disease, as were the dwelling proximity standards, to prevent disease and fire risk. Is he suggesting we go back to instances of the black death and fire of London build standards. This guy needs to go and visit RIBA and get his act together, Plonker.

    • Mam Bach October 6, 2016 at 4:23 pm - Reply

      How big is Mr Barwell’s house _that we paid for_?

  11. Zippi October 7, 2016 at 1:57 am - Reply

    Who are these “young” people, whom our politicians talk about, constantly, like they know who they are? What about other people, who also are looking for a home? It is not just the “young” who have been priced out!

    • Mike Sivier October 7, 2016 at 12:41 pm - Reply

      Damn straight. I’m 47.

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