Plea for more family homes in London

High house prices in city centres have prompted calls for more affordable family-sized homes to be built in London and other major UK centres.

The National Housing Federation made the appeal to the government as more homebuyers struggle to afford mortgages in cities, forcing them to move further away from their places of employment.

The federation, which represents UK housing associations, believes there are negative implications for both the environment and family life as people are forced to commute longer distances.

Its appeal comes after the National House Building Council (NHBC) released figures which showed flats and maisonettes were the principal type of housing being developed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The federation’s spokesman said while flats were beneficial for first-time buyers, single people and couples, the increase in the number being developed was not justifiable on the grounds of lack of space.

"We have a real need, especially in London and high value areas, for decent sized family accommodation," he said.

He added: "Flats are a lot cheaper to develop which is why a lot of the new homes being built tend to be blocks of flats, particularly in London.

"But this is something that needs to change because we are seeing a lot of flats being built where there is a real need for family-sized accommodation."