In 2020, the Mayor of London published an update to the Housing Design Quality Standards which has meant many local councils have now incorporated private, outdoor amenity space requirements into their planning conditions. Recommending ‘a minimum of five sqm of private outside space for each one-to-two person dwelling and an extra one sqm for each additional occupant’, bolt-on balconies should now be a major consideration for every new development across the UK, including Build to Rent properties.
By Taylor Maxwell
The Covid-19 pandemic has also played a considerable role in reshaping the housing market, causing substantial increase in the demand for apartment buildings with outdoor spaces, especially in built-up locations such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, Scotland and the North-West. Over the last year, prospective buyers, especially first-time buyers, have been looking for apartments with either a balcony space or communal garden as a must-have feature.
Research suggests adding a balcony can increase the value of the property by anything from 5% to 15%, subsequently increasing the potential rental yield. A recent article published on BTR News by Hannah Marsh, Co-Founder of HomeViews discussed the findings of their 2022 National Build to Rent Report. Covering 64% of completed Build to Rent developments in the UK, residents were asked to provide feedback and reviews of their experience. The article highlighted that ‘most reviewers for the top-rated developments talked specifically about the design of their homes’, with balconies being explicitly referenced in 15% of all reviews.
Our range of Skyeline balcony systems features cutting-edge technology focused on reaching new standards in balcony design and removing challenges previously associated with this structural element, including water penetration, water drainage and stagnant water issues.
Designed by Architectural Facades and manufactured by global metal specialists thyssenkrupp Materials UK, the Skyeline balcony systems benefits from their long-standing knowledge and experience of precision engineering. To ensure the production process remains consistent and subject to our high-quality control standards, the thyssenkrupp production team use inspection management software, iAuditor. All production checks, from initial aluminium extrusion through to final fabrication, are registered through this application, generating full digital traceability reports or a ‘product passport’ for each balcony produced.
Whilst the addition of a balcony could increase the value and appeal of a property and improve resident wellbeing, environmental impact is a key consideration for clients, architects, developers and prospective residents. Skyeline balconies are an environmentally friendly option due to their high aluminium content. DNV-GL Certified by our raw material supplier according to the ISO 14064, the aluminium used is also produced through renewable energy sources. Through various recycling schemes, only 5% of the original energy is needed to recycle the aluminium, while repeated recycling does not cause loss of physical properties or value. This ‘cradle-to-cradle’ life cycle means aluminium is not consumed, but only used within a sustainable, ‘cyclic’ economy.
To find out more about Skyeline balconies, visit https://www.taylormaxwell.co.uk/bolt-on-balconies
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