An HBF-commissioned study comparing trends in dwelling sizes and household sizes and a CABE-commissioned MORI poll into the nation’s most desired housing type have simultaneously raised serious doubts about the ability of the government’s PPG3 housing policies to enable the market to meet the housing demands of younger people. <p></p><p>The MORI survey for CABE found that 60% of the population would prefer a detached house over any other dwelling type, contrary to PPG3 policies, which encourage smaller high density dwellings and apartments. </p><p>The same week as the MORI results were announced, the HBF released the findings of a study by Professor Dave King, head of the population and housing research group at Anglia Polytechnic University, which found that “small” one or two-person households do not necessarily desire small dwellings. They in fact prefer “large” dwellings – defined as those with seven or more plus rooms – in areas where there is adequate supply, as indicated by the fact that while half the dwellings built between 1981 to 2001 were large, 60% of these were occupied by one or two-person households. </p><p>Professor King also concluded that while housing space consumption tends to rise during the 20s to 30s age bracket, households …