LONDON, England (The Times), October 19, 2007:
There are many reasons why Carla Ricotta should be delighted with her new home in Oaks Hamlet, part of the massive Kings Hill development outside West Malling in Kent. The four-bedroom detached house, built by Environ Country Homes and costing £515,000, has all mod cons, including underfloor heating, a big family kitchen and parking for five cars. It is also well positioned: close to woodland that won’t be built on, and not overlooked by neighbours. Yet the crucial plus point of this home to Ricotta, believe it or not, is the space above the garage.
“It’s going to be a self-contained apartment,” explains Ricotta, 37. “My 14-year-old daughter, Andreia, will use it as a cinema and for parties for the next few years. When she’s older and wants her independence she’ll be able to use it as her own flat.” Ricotta is creating a family home that will meet their needs for years to come. She and her husband, Claudio, 33, who owns a panini bar in Crystal Palace, London, have two other children: Paolo, aged 8, and Tatyanna, 6. When Andreia flies the nest, it is likely that Paolo will inherit the garage apartment, meaning that the three children will have lots of what psychologists call “personal space” as they grow up. It is just this sort of long-term planning that is prompting some housebuilders to pepper their developments with their very latest concept: multi-generational homes.
It’s far from being a new concept: in Italy during the 1980s and 1990s, the exorbitant price of property made it common practice. The pros – and cons – of extended family life were also plain to see in the TV series Dallas.
There are distinct advantages. Grandparents living a door away can easily help with childcare. If those same grandparents are becoming frail, then the younger generation can keep an eye on them. And twentysomethings can live at home – perhaps in an upper-storey bedsit or a flat downstairs – thereby saving money before getting on the property ladder.
But it does create problems. “Building multi-generational homes in this day and age is all about separating people,” says David Birkbeck, of Design for Homes, the society of architects that promotes good design. “People need their own space, and it’s particularly important as an adult to have your own front door.
“Put bluntly, if you are 28, then you don’t want your parents asking questions about what time you got in last night. If you are 72, you don’t want your children asking the same thing. Many people love living near their closest relatives, but they also need their own independence and privacy.”
Multi-generational homes are also increasingly popular at the top of the market. When Redeham Homes built their part of Accordia Living – the award-winning development near the centre of Cambridge – they included annexes opposite their main townhouses. These consisted of a main room and a bathroom, making them more suitable for young people between homes than grandma and grandpa for the long haul.
For Full report:
http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/new_homes/article2686142.ece
© Copyright 2007 Times Newspapers Ltd.
