The UK is facing a housing problem. According to the National House Building Council, the number of new homes fell 1% between April and June compared to the same period in 2016, while in the private sector, this figure dropped by 7%.

Although not irreparable decreases, these statistics show a slowing of the housing market that might be difficult to turn around. So, what can be done? One solution that’s building momentum is garden villages — a piece of brownfield land used to create housing for new communities.

To find out more, this article investigates the rising trend of garden villages, their regional implications and how they can help boost the UK’s housing problems.

Garden villages: the facts

Essentially, garden villages are self-reliant communities enclosed by green land that usually contain between 1,500 to 10,000 homes. Often, garden villages have their own facilities — such as schools, shops and transport stations — which makes this type of living space perfect for families and first-time buyers looking to lead the picture-perfect life.

In theory, no two garden villages are the same, as they’re allowed to establish their own identity and can be of various sizes with a variety of industry and agricultural facilities within them. However, they must be a settlement outside of an existing town or city. Currently, the British government is supporting 17 locations around the country, with £6 million expected to go towards funding 14 new garden villages and £1.4 million to support three garden towns (which are similar to garden villages, only larger).

The garden village trend is set to be a part of multiple regions in the UK, including: Cumbria, Lancaster, Hampshire, Merseyside, Oxfordshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Cheshire East, Stratford-on-Avon, East Northants, Essex, Devon, Runnymede and Surrey Heath, and Cornwall. Plans are also in place to build garden towns in Aylesbury, Taunton, and Harlow and Gilston. These are expected to provide an extra 200,000 homes.

Regional impact of garden villages

Generally, the economic effect of garden villages is anticipated to be positive. Since these building projects will supply Britain with more than 50,000 homes, we should witness a rise in manual work and job opportunities in these regions, which will help to drive money to several parts of the UK.

Another impact of garden towns and villages that causes concern for some people is the population rise that will ensue in certain areas of the country. There is a popular misconception that this will put a strain on the resources of current residents nearby, such as school places for their children and obtaining doctor appointments. However, this is not the case. Garden villages are built with their own facilities, including schools and general practices, so they should instead cause the creation of more jobs and facilities in a district rather than put a strain on current services.

Arguably, traffic and commuting numbers might increase around a certain area if a garden village or town is built nearby. Although, this could potentially be controlled if the garden village has its own transport links and roads for commuting in and out of the area.

Garden villages: current trends

The growing trend of garden villages is also likely to be excellent news for the gardening industry. With people moving into new homes featuring plenty of green space, there’s likely to be a need for updating garden furniture and other outdoor products. Here are a few gardening trends we expect to catch on with the creation of more garden villages.

Decking

In the UK, composite decking is a booming trend. With the weather at a constant change, composite decking boards are weather-resistant and very low maintenance, which means you don’t need to worry about repairing or repainting to enjoy the great outdoors on your decking.

Hot tubs

Hot tubs are one of those purchases that everyone wants to make, and over the past few years, it seems like more and more people are installing hot tubs in their back gardens. In North Wales, a businessman has even had to double the size of his hot tub showroom this year to keep up with demand! These are a great addition to any garden, especially if you have a rural view of the surrounding countryside.

Retro furniture

Garden furniture is set to head back in time when it comes to design and textures. We’ll see more natural, traditional materials used for tables and chairs — such as teak and rattan — to create a more rustic look, as well as a rise in woven and crochet techniques for the retro effect.

Lighting

Who can enjoy an evening relaxing in the garden without decent lighting? From Chinese lanterns to LED fairy lights, how you illuminate your garden is going to be in focus in the coming seasons.

Sunhouses

Garden buildings including sunhouses have “high potential growth” in the industry, according to Andrew Hartley, who is the research director at market research company, AMA. Sunhouses are great for maximising your garden space and creating an extra room for your family without having to pay for an expensive house extension. Typically, these are small and easy to fit into your garden with enough room for a few chairs and a table to unwind with drinks and food. Sunhouses infuse your garden with character and are excellent refuges for reading, relaxing and socialising, so these are likely to be a big hit in garden village homes.

Fake grass

Keeping your green spaces neat and well maintained is a hobby for some and a chore for others. This is why artificial grass is set to increase in demand over the course of the next year. If you’ve decked much of your back garden, you can add colour by creating a small space of artificial grass on the ground level, or putting a full artificial lawn at the front of your home that you don’t have to keep weeding and watering.

Hopefully, the increase of garden villages will work to ease the pressures of housing in the UK. Even with the few points for concern, such as a rise in local traffic, this is potentially a huge boost for families, communities and the entire UK economy.

Article credited to Arbordeck, https://www.arbordeck.co.uk/