Tamworth's housing market has a big problem, and it's time to start thinking small to solve it.
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That's according to Studio Two architect and principal Nick Brown, who believes Tamworth, and Australia, is building houses that are just too large.
In 1985, the average home was about 162 square metres.
In 2022, it's 229 square metres.
With lot sizes shrinking and houses growing, something has got to give.
"It seems irrational to me," he said.
Mr Brown has worked as an architect for the better part of 30 years, so he's seen the growth of new houses firsthand.
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In 2022, Australia had the largest average homes in the world, tied for first with the United States. The average size of a freestanding home includes smaller, older homes, so the ordinary suburban subdivision is much larger still. That's despite the average home housing just 2.5 people.
As families shrink in size, houses grow bigger and emptier.
Enormous homes require enormous heating and cooling bills, and encourage people to stay indoors and look inwards, rather than contributing to a colourful neighbourhood.
He said the firm often has a discussion with clients about the realities of the sheer size of their dream homes.
"I think perhaps people need to ask themselves when they're building a house, do they need rooms that they're not necessarily going to use for long?" he said.
"Maybe they'll have a time when they like these rooms, but it'll be shortlived."
Mr Brown said it's a "discussion we need to have" as a society.
He said "community is what is at threat" to "suburban sprawl".
"I think the cost is long term suburbs and clusters of buildings that are going to be uncomfortable to be in and a little bit depressing," he said.
"I wonder if, as time goes by, people might seek to move away. The cost is; we might have suburbs of really big rooved houses that nobody wants to live in."
Tamworth Regional Council has started the early stages of work on an update of the city's local environment plan, to enable developers to build denser and more sustainable homes.
Council director of liveable communities Gina Vereker said the solution isn't about banning big homes, but bringing a greater diversity of home types to the market, including smaller homes, apartments and other options.
"We've been looking at the perspective of how we're going to fit everybody that's coming. And we're going to make sure there are enough houses for the people that want to move here..." she said.
"I suppose from that perspective, yes, we are looking at the fact that we build really big houses but we're coming at it from a different, broader perspective. It's difficult to have control over the size of a dwelling. Our control's really about the size of lots, and we're trying to encourage smaller lots.
"There's still that opportunity to build that big house on a big block."
Nick Brown's comments reflect the views of new president of the Australian Institute of Architects Shannon Battisson.
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