Statutory guidance

Technical housing standards – nationally described space standard

This document sets out the government’s new nationally described space standard.

From:
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Published
27 March 2015

Applies to England

Documents

Technical housing standards – nationally described space standard

HTML

Technical housing standards – nationally described space standard

Ref: ISBN 978-1-4098-4567-6

PDF, 303 KB, 5 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@levellingup.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

The nationally described space standard will replace the existing different space standards used by local authorities. It is not a building regulation and remains solely within the planning system as a new form of technical planning standard.

The standard is one part of a wider housing standards review package which the government announced on 27 March 2015.

This document has been amended on the 19 May 2016. Under table 1 the following notes have been added:

  1. Built-in storage areas are included within the overall GIAs and include an allowance of 0.5m2 for fixed services or equipment such as a hot water cylinder, boiler or heat exchanger.
  2. GIAs for one storey dwellings include enough space for 1 bathroom and 1 additional WC (or shower room) in dwellings with 5 or more bed spaces. GIAs for 2 and 3 storey dwellings include enough space for 1 bathroom and 1 additional WC (or shower room). Additional sanitary facilities may be included without increasing the GIA provided that all aspects of the space standard have been met.
  3. Where a 1 bedroom 1 person (1b1p) dwelling has a shower room instead of a bathroom, the floor area may be reduced from 39m2 to 37m2, as shown bracketed.
  4. Furnished layouts are not required to demonstrate compliance.
Published 27 March 2015

Related content