A survey by McCarthy Stone has found that demand for bungalows among older people has reached almost double the total availability in the UK.
The statistics reveal that more than 9 million older people (72%) want more bungalows to be built and nearly 5 million older people (38%) would like to make their next move to a bungalow. However, there are just 2.5 million bungalows in the UK, and year-on-year new-build supply is also falling.
NHBC figures show that just 1% of new home registrations in 2023 were bungalows, down 47% from the previous year, standing at just 1,476 compared to 2,807 in 2022. Supply in 2023 was also 84% down compared with 2000 when 9,347 bungalows were built. This downward trend has continued into 2024, as the latest data from the NHBC shows that there were just 658 new bungalows registered in Q1/Q2 2024 – less than the total in the first half of 2023.
The appeal of retirement bungalows is closely tied to having everything on one floor, with 58% of respondents citing this as one of the main reasons for considering them, with almost one in three seeing this as a futureproofing move. Nearly half (48%) believe a bungalow is easier to maintain, while 41% said it would help them keep their independence.
John Tonkiss, chief executive officer at McCarthy Stone, said: “Bungalow living is perfect for older people and demand is booming as the population ages. Bungalows help retirees live independently and safely, connected to their community. This is critically important post-Covid-19, which has left a lasting impact on the lives of many in this generation.”
“Increasing bungalow supply along with other forms of housing for older people must be a priority for the government to stem years of declining provision, particularly as ministers are currently reviewing national planning policy. As well as helping keep older people independent for longer, it would reduce pressures on the NHS and release larger family-sized homes that younger people could move into.”
Following the survey, McCarthy Stone has written to the Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, secretary of state at Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to recommend that the government prioritises bungalow building for older people and retirement communities as part of its current review of the National Planning Policy Framework. This includes a call for all local authorities to assess demand and allocate sites for bungalows. Bungalow building has become increasingly unviable due to their extensive land requirements when compared to houses or apartments, and allocating sites in Local Plans would address this issue.
Despite these challenges, McCarthy Stone is increasingly adding bungalows to its development portfolio. It currently has 15 bungalow developments comprising 300 units across the country that are either sold out or selling now. This includes its new Old Market Village development in Wimborne, Dorset which opened in October 2024 and also a forthcoming retirement community in Petersfield, Hampshire, both of which offer bungalows as well as apartments. There are also plans for a further ten developments which will provide another 300 retirement bungalows across the country.
