Compact living and residential studios are no longer permitted in Nottingham, as we have adopted the Nationally Described Space Standards through policy.

The Nationally Described Space Standards (also known as NDSS) are a set of national standards for the design of homes. They include minimum dimensions and design criteria to make homes comfortable, safe and adaptable, to allow people to carry on everyday activities at ease.

Nottingham City Council has adopted the NDSS in Local Plan Policy DE1 (too see an evidence paper click here). Policy HO4 addresses Accessible and Adaptable homes, requiring 10% of the homes to be compliant on schemes of more than 10 units.

The NDSS work with three levels or degrees of accessibility:

Level 1: ample and comfortable for family life

Level 2: ready to be adapted for wheelchair users

Level 3: fully catered for wheelchair users

All new homes in Nottingham City will be in compliance with Level 1 standards; and 10% of all new homes will adhere to Level 2, which means these homes will be:

1. Adaptable: will be able to be made suitable for wheelchair users as and when necessary

2. More accessible: easier to use for older people, wheelchair visitors and young children.

PLANNING INFORMATION

Are any home types exempt?

Studio Flats do not feature as a permanent residential home in the NDSS and therefore are only permitted for temporary accommodation.

Temporary accommodation (such as hotels and holiday studios) do not need to meet the NDSS unless there is a requirement for flexibility for future adaptation to residential use, in which case the NDSS apply fully.

Student Accommodation does not need to meet the NDSS unless there is a requirement for flexibility for future adaptation to residential use, in which case the NDSS apply fully. Local Plan Policy HO6-h says that studios should meet NDDS “whether new purpose built student accommodation is designed in such a way that it can be capable of being re-configured through internal alterations to meet general housing needs in the future;…”.

Specialist Accommodation (such as retirement homes, assisted living etc.) need to meet the NDSS and might even have tighter requirements. The Case Officer assigned to the proposal will be able to inform applicants accordingly.

More information about how Nottingham City Council Planning Officers will consider the NDSS compliance can be found here:

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

How are areas calculated?

The standards work with the Internal Gross Floor Area (IGFA), which is the internal face of a perimeter wall (finished surface of the wall). For a detached house, the perimeter walls are the external walls that enclose the dwelling, and for other houses or apartments they are the external walls and party walls.

Areas with headroom below 1500mm should not be included in the Gross Internal Areas.

Storage areas with headroom between 900mm and 1500mm to be counted at half of their floor area and areas lower than 900mm not be counted at all.

Building conversions and change of use should comply at least with the NDSS Level 1. Officers should justify deviation from these standards with sufficient evidence to demonstrate any viability issues that lead to non-compliance with the standards.

All areas include an allowance of 0.5m2 for fixed services and equipment such as hot water cylinders, boilers and heat exchangers.

More technical information can be found in the Housing Standards Review developed by the Working Groups (Department for Communities and Local Government; 2013).

Example Layouts

These diagrams are for illustrative purposes only, they show the minimum dimensions for different house types to be occupied by certain number of people. WARNING: These are NOT building drawings.