Award winning south west housebuilder Baker Estates has welcomed new research from the Home Owners Alliance which reveals that more than a third (38%) of homeowners aged 55 and over would prefer to move to a bungalow, reinforcing the developer’s long-held commitment to delivering high-quality single-storey homes in Devon and Cornwall..
The survey found that many older homeowners feel unable to move, citing stress, a shortage of suitable properties, and the desire to remain close to family and friends as key barriers. While financial challenges were less of a concern for this group, the lack of available bungalows has left many feeling “stuck” in homes that no longer suit their needs.
Figures from the National House Building Council (NHBC) show that bungalows once accounted for 11% of new home registrations in 1990 but now make up just 1%. Against this backdrop, Baker Estates has been bucking the trend for more than a decade, building hundreds of bungalows across the South West of England and establishing a reputation for quality and design tailored to this market.
Graham Hutton, Managing Director of Baker Estates, said: “It’s clear that the housing market must do more for this demographic. Prioritising the construction of bungalows isn’t just about meeting demand; it’s about enabling older people to live independently, and free up larger family homes for younger generations.”
“At Baker Estates, we recognised this gap in the market ten years ago and made a commitment to delivering bungalows that combine thoughtful design, energy efficiency, and quality craftsmanship. The response to our range of bungalows across 15 sites in Devon and Cornwall has been overwhelming, proving that when the right homes are built, people will move.”
With the over-55s age group making up an increasing share of the housing market, Baker Estates believes that the call to bring back bungalows should be treated as a priority in national and local housing policy as well as planning priorities.
Fact sheet
Baker Estates have built and sold 388 bungalows since 2015
Baker Estates has a pipeline of 416 bungalows in planning
Baker Estates build bungalows on 80% of its developments in the south west