More and more people are looking to move back in with family as house prices continue to soar and the cost-of-living crisis goes on.
Buying one bigger house with relatives is becoming an increasingly popular idea.
Pooling resources together to access a spacious and functional space for multiple generations is a familiar concept in other areas of the world, and the idea is picking up pace here too.
Acting on what it saw as a trend in the market, homebuilder Northstone, which operates under the Peel L&P umbrella, is one of few developers in the UK to be creating purpose built multi-generational homes.
Richard O’Brien, design director at Northstone, said: “There’s many different factors driving demand for multi-generational living but, with a total lack of new build homes for this lifestyle, most people are retrofitting older properties. That can be expensive, time-consuming and usually comes with all kinds of compromises.”
READ MORE: Plans for new 'multi-generational' houses in Astley Bridge
Two of these new-concept houses are set to be built for the first time at Northstone’s Victoria Road site at Horwich Golf Club.
The idea is to give every member of the household agency over the shared spaces, but also provide private spaces so everyone can have their own personal space.
“The challenge was to build a home that could be used by, say, three different generations, but doesn’t force people to trade-in their option for privacy and time apart. That’s often a massive worry for those taking the leap to live together.
“Our answer has been to give the family as many flexible spaces as possible. We essentially designed a larger four-bed family home, with a mix of bedrooms and living spaces, adjoined to a smaller home.
“Both have their own facilities, such as front doors, bathrooms, parking spaces and even gardens, but crucially they have shared communal spaces where they can come together.
“We’ve designed a really generously-sized kitchen, dining and living space at the heart of the home, where families can eat together, relax and just spend time.
“That said, we’ve provided a second living room upstairs for when they want time apart.
“Altogether there’s six bedrooms which can either be used as bedrooms or private spaces – such as a reading or hobby space – to respond to the demands of more people living under one roof.”
The houses are due to be built at the site next year as part of greenlit plans to build 208 energy-efficient homes that were approved in September.
READ MORE: Objections to final plans for 276-home estate to be built on Horwich Golf Club
The plans were revised following a number of objections.
Northstone is responsible for homes currently for sale at the recently launched Airie, off St Helen’s Road, and Silkash in Westhoughton.
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