Re:First town in America to ban new gas stations
by bobthepanda on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @10:37AM
(#28221556)
The issue in America is that a lot of zoning has minimum lot sizes that are fairly large. If the minimum parcel size is 460 sq m and the parcel can legally only have one house on it, the house might as well be built to take advantage.
Where they are legal (very small percentage of land area), America's tight housing markets see smaller townhomes and apartments sprout like weeds.
Re:First town in America to ban new gas stations
by Symbiote on Wednesday August 18, 2021 @10:48AM
(#28221739)
> The UK is small and ancient. We literally don't have the land necessary for building big houses in cities.
British cities like London would have plenty more space if they built up, even slightly. Comparable European cities have 4-8 story apartment buildings in the inner city; London quickly becomes single houses.
> There wasn't much land to start with, and changing the use of land that's had buildings on it for 1000 years is incredibly hard.
Most of London is much, much younger than that. London expanded in the late 19th century, as railways and metro lines were built.
By comparison the US is brand new and has abundant land. Add to that the fact that many houses in the US are timber-framed things that are easy to change and extend, and you have a recipe for big homes.