Vol. 564 No. 1
306 Mr. Morgan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if there is a minimum size or specification for bedrooms and kitchens in new local authority houses; the details of same; and when they came into force. [8955/03]
My Department issued extensive design guidelines for the provision of social housing in September 1999 which set out recommendations for target floor areas and minimum room sizes. These were subsequently increased having regard to amendments of building regulations (Part M) coming into force in January 2001. Local authorities were advised of these increased recommended minimum room sizes in May 2002.
Space requirements and room sizes are primarily determined by the proposed uses of individual rooms and spaces. Accommodation should allow for free circulation within each area, while accommodating appropriate furniture and equipment. The following table sets out the recommended space provision and room sizes for a range of typical dwellings having regard to the number of persons in a household. Minimum floor areas are specified in terms of the area of the main livingroom, the aggregate area of all shared living spaces including kitchens, and the aggregate area of bedrooms. It is recommended that the area of a single bedroom should be at least 6.5m² and that of a double bedroom at least 10.2 m².
|
Dwelling Type |
Target gross floor area (m²) |
Shared living spaces(including kitchen area) |
Aggregate bedroom area |
||
|
Main living room (m²) |
Aggregate area (m²) |
Area (m²) |
|||
|
Family Dwellings – 3 or more persons |
|||||
|
4 BED/7P (2 storey) |
104 |
15 |
35 |
39.4 |
|
|
4 BED/7P (1 storey) |
92 |
15 |
35 |
39.4 |
|
|
3BED/6P (2 storey) |
90 |
15 |
35 |
32.9 |
|
|
3BED/6P (1 storey) |
78 |
15 |
35 |
32.9 |
|
|
3BED/5P (2 storey) |
86 |
15 |
29 |
29.2 |
|
|
3BED/5P (1 storey) |
74 |
15 |
29 |
29.2 |
|
|
3BED/4P (2 storey) |
77 |
13 |
26 |
25.5 |
|
|
3BED/4P (1 storey) |
65 |
13 |
26 |
25.5 |
|
|
2BED/4P (2 storey) |
74 |
13 |
26 |
22.7 |
|
|
2BED/4P (1 storey) |
62 |
13 |
26 |
22.7 |
|
|
2BED/3P (2 storey) |
69 |
13 |
24 |
19.0 |
|
|
2BED/3P (1 storey) |
52 |
13 |
24 |
16.7 |
|
|
One or Two Person Dwellings |
|||||
|
1BED/2P (1 storey) |
42 |
11 |
20 |
10.2 |
|
|
1BED/1P (1 storey) |
38 |
11 |
16 |
10.2 |
|
Living Rooms |
3.1 Metres |
|
Double Bedrooms |
2.5 Metres |
|
Single Bedrooms |
2.1 Metres |
