Simpler and better

Housing design in everyone's interest

Is it too much to believe that all new homes can be good enough everywhere? Why has this proved so difficult in the past and what can we do to change it?

Simpler and better argues for the use of a minimum design standard, giving consumers a guarantee of homes and neighbourhoods that are consistently well designed.

It calls for a simpler set of housing standards and the reformulation of planning gain as a community equity share.

CABE's emerging position on housing standards is described in more detail in Improving the design of new housing: what role for standards?

Published on 8 June 2010