News / Housing crisis
One-bedroom ‘snug’ homes approved in bid to solve Bristol’s housing crisis
Bristol councillors have overruled “limiting bureaucratic regulations” to pave the way for new homes that would accommodate just one person to be built in the city.
Current Bristol City Council planning policy does not recommend the construction of new single-occupier dwellings even if they meet national housing standards.
But a planning committee ignored the policy to approve plans for three one-bed, one-person homes at 225 Forest Road in Hillfields.
The three homes will be created by converting the existing two-storey Victorian house into two flats and putting a prefabricated “box” home in the rear garden.
Each home will have its own little grassy space, and two of them will have a small patio as well.
Committee members approved the new homes after developer Ecomotive urged them to “stand up and make new precedents” to help solve Bristol’s housing crisis.
Council officers had recommended that councillors reject the plans, arguing that the proposed one-person homes do not provide enough room for everyday activities.
Aerial depiction of 225 Forest Road
At 37sqm to 44sqm, the ground-floor flat, first-floor flat and prefabricated “Snug” home all meet or exceed minimum internal floor space requirements under UK housing standards.
But an officer explained that “Bristol does not accept one-bed spaces” because they cannot accommodate extra residents should the need arise.
“Bristol City Council expects that all new dwellings provide at least two bed spaces,” she told the committee.
“It is considered that this is the smallest unit size that can meet the flexibility and adaptability of the policies outlined, ie, accommodate sufficient space for a partner, a child, temporary carer or visiting friends or relatives.”
But Michelle Asher from Ecomotive, which is developing the “Snug” home design, told councillors: “I’d hate to see Bristol City Council turn down a totally viable living option which addresses the need for affordable housing, small footprints, enough space for people to live comfortably and with dignity and the right to choose just based on limiting bureaucratic regulations.”
The council’s development manager, Gary Collins, advised councillors to change local planning policy if necessary rather than make a habit of overruling it.
Labour councillor for Lawrence Hill Margaret Hickman said: “The world is moving to many more units that actually only one person is going to be living in it.”
“There’s such a [housing] crisis that we’re going to have to shrink probably our expectations to actually be able to house people in the ways that they want to be housed,” she added.
But Labour councillor for Horfield Olly Mead cautioned against setting a worrying precedent for “smaller and smaller and smaller properties”.
Councillors backed the house conversion by nine votes to two before unanimously approving the “Snug” prefab home in the rear garden.
No members of the public had objected to either application and 20 wrote in support of the prefab home.
Ecomotive said in a subsequent statement: “We are truly grateful to the openness and level headed thinking of councillors on the committee to not be driven by bureaucratic outdated planning policy, and to overturn the recommendation for refusal of the planning officer.”
It said it will lease a small site in Lockleaze to create a pop-up fabrication and training space for its modular self-build “Snug” homes.
Collins said the council is developing a new policy approach to modular units.
Amanda Cameron is a local democracy reporter for Bristol.
Read more: The Knowle West community that built a home made of straw to address housing need
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