Implementing the nationally described space standard: regulating housing in a devolved planning system

The English housing crisis of the twenty-first century is creating intense demand for new housing, especially in London and the core cities. This is manifest in densification, verticalisation, and the increasing provision of homes smaller than was the case in the late twentieth century. While this might be seen as a positive development from an environmental perspective, with smaller homes theoretically more resource- and energy-efficient than their larger counterparts, the increasing number of very small homes raises concerns about the liveability of this accommodation for occupants. In this context, the Nationally Described Space Standard introduced in 2015 provides a basis for local authorities to impose minimum space standards for different types of property, but these are merely guidelines within a planning system that exhibits a high level of legal flexibility, and devolved local power. Noting that not all English local authorities have implemented the NDSS, the paper explores the varied emphases in local authority policy documents concerning the need for space standards, concluding that planning policies addressing domestic dimensionality are the outcome of a negotiated inter-legality between national guidelines and local contingencies.