housing developments in european countries - Department of ...
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Section 2<br />
Context<br />
Context Section 2<br />
Table<br />
2.10.1<br />
Characteristics <strong>of</strong> the Hous<strong>in</strong>g Stock <strong>in</strong> France, 1973-2002<br />
Table<br />
2.10.2<br />
Economic Trends <strong>in</strong> France, 1995-2002<br />
Category 1973 1978 1984 1988 1992 1996 2002<br />
Pr<strong>in</strong>cipal Residences<br />
by size Average size (m 2 ) 72 77 82 85 86 88 90<br />
Average number <strong>of</strong> rooms 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 4.0 4.0 4.0<br />
Average number <strong>of</strong> occupants 2.9 2.8 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.5 2.4<br />
Average number <strong>of</strong> occupants per room 0.82 0.75 0.71 0.67 0.64 0.63 0.60<br />
Average floor space per person (m 2 ) 25 27 31 32 34 35 37<br />
Pr<strong>in</strong>cipal residences<br />
by availability<br />
<strong>of</strong> amenities (%) Dwell<strong>in</strong>gs without water 3.4 1.3 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1<br />
Dwell<strong>in</strong>gs without water, a toilet<br />
and bath<strong>in</strong>g facilities 8.7 6.0 4.4 2.8 2.0 1.3 0.8<br />
Dwell<strong>in</strong>gs with a lavatory, bath<strong>in</strong>g<br />
facilities and central heat<strong>in</strong>g 5.3 5.7 6.6 7.3 7.0 8.0 3.7<br />
Pr<strong>in</strong>cipal residences<br />
by tenure (%) Owner-occupied 45.5 46.7 50.7 53.5 53.9 54.3 56.0<br />
Social rented (unfurnished) 11.3 13.3 16.4 17.0 17.1 17.6 17.2<br />
Private rented (unfurnished) 22.7 22.7 19.0 17.7 18.6 19.1 19.7<br />
Private rented (rent controlled, unfurnished) 6.6 5.0 3.5 2.5 2.0 1.4 1.0<br />
Other rented (furnished) 2.4 2.0 1.9 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.6<br />
Farmers 1.3 0.9 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.3<br />
Housed free <strong>of</strong> charge 10.2 9.4 7.9 7.4 6.7 5.8 4.2<br />
Pr<strong>in</strong>cipal residences<br />
by date<br />
<strong>of</strong> construction (No.) 1990 Nav Nav Nav Nav Nav Nav 3,042,000<br />
2.10.2 Stock<br />
In 2002, the total stock <strong>of</strong> dwell<strong>in</strong>gs used as ma<strong>in</strong><br />
residences <strong>in</strong> France stood at 24,525,000. This<br />
constitutes 413.3 dwell<strong>in</strong>gs per 1,000 <strong>in</strong>habitants<br />
which is close to the average for the 28 <strong>countries</strong> under<br />
exam<strong>in</strong>ation. TABLE 2.10.1 reveals that like most other<br />
European <strong>countries</strong>, the majority <strong>of</strong> dwell<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong><br />
France are owner-occupied and that the level <strong>of</strong> home<br />
ownership has <strong>in</strong>creased <strong>in</strong> recent years, from 45.5%<br />
<strong>of</strong> all dwell<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> 1973 to 56.0% <strong>in</strong> 2002, although it<br />
is still below average <strong>in</strong> comparative European terms.<br />
Levels <strong>of</strong> social rent<strong>in</strong>g have also risen s<strong>in</strong>ce the 1970s.<br />
In 1973, 11.3% <strong>of</strong> all dwell<strong>in</strong>gs were social rented.<br />
This rose to 17.6% by 1996, although this tenure has<br />
contracted slightly s<strong>in</strong>ce then – it accounted for 17.2%<br />
<strong>of</strong> all dwell<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> 2002. Conversely, levels <strong>of</strong> private<br />
rent<strong>in</strong>g (on the open market) <strong>in</strong> France have fallen<br />
consistently s<strong>in</strong>ce 1973, as have the numbers <strong>of</strong><br />
dwell<strong>in</strong>gs that are rent controlled under the terms <strong>of</strong><br />
the law <strong>of</strong> 1948.<br />
Demand for ownership <strong>of</strong> private houses is strong as is<br />
demand for access to rental accommodation <strong>in</strong> areas <strong>of</strong><br />
expand<strong>in</strong>g population. At the start <strong>of</strong> 2002, the<br />
number <strong>of</strong> households seek<strong>in</strong>g social rented<br />
accommodation was 1,042,000, <strong>of</strong> which close to half<br />
were already accommodated <strong>in</strong> public <strong>hous<strong>in</strong>g</strong> units<br />
(HLMs). 28% <strong>of</strong> social <strong>hous<strong>in</strong>g</strong> applicants were from<br />
Paris and its suburbs, 36% lived <strong>in</strong> other large cities,<br />
28.5% lived <strong>in</strong> small urban areas and 7.5% <strong>in</strong> rural<br />
communes. This distribution conforms more closely to<br />
that <strong>of</strong> the exist<strong>in</strong>g stock <strong>of</strong> public <strong>hous<strong>in</strong>g</strong> units<br />
(HLMs) than to the population distribution.<br />
As is detailed <strong>in</strong> TABLE 2.10.1, the standard <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>hous<strong>in</strong>g</strong> stock <strong>in</strong> France has <strong>in</strong>creased significantly<br />
s<strong>in</strong>ce the early 1970s. The average size <strong>of</strong> dwell<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong><br />
Category 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002<br />
Unemployed people as a % <strong>of</strong> the total active population 11.3 11.9 11.8 11.4 10.7 9.3 8.5 8.7<br />
GDP per capita at current market prices (€000) 20.0 20.5 20.7 21.6 22.5 23.4 24.0 Nav<br />
Harmonised <strong>in</strong>dices <strong>of</strong> consumer prices (%) 2.0 1.9 1.4 0.7 0.4 1.5 1.6 1.9<br />
the country <strong>in</strong>creased by 18 m 2 between 1973 and<br />
2002 and as a result <strong>of</strong> this, together with fall<strong>in</strong>g<br />
household size, the average size per occupant <strong>in</strong>creased<br />
from 25 m 2 to 37 m 2 dur<strong>in</strong>g this period, which is well<br />
above the European average. The proportion <strong>of</strong><br />
households without water, a toilet, bath<strong>in</strong>g facilities<br />
and central heat<strong>in</strong>g has also fallen dramatically dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
this period.<br />
In 2002, 2,000,000 dwell<strong>in</strong>gs (or 6.8% <strong>of</strong> the national<br />
<strong>hous<strong>in</strong>g</strong> stock) were vacant. This is the lowest rate <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>hous<strong>in</strong>g</strong> vacancy s<strong>in</strong>ce the end <strong>of</strong> the 1960s.<br />
Unsurpris<strong>in</strong>gly, the vacancy rate was lowest <strong>in</strong> Paris<br />
and its suburbs (6.2% <strong>of</strong> dwell<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> this area were<br />
empty) where demand for <strong>hous<strong>in</strong>g</strong> is strongest, and<br />
vacancy levels were higher <strong>in</strong> small towns and rural<br />
areas where demand is weak. Fall<strong>in</strong>g vacancy levels <strong>in</strong><br />
recent years are partially due to the <strong>in</strong>troduction <strong>of</strong> a<br />
tax on vacant accommodation <strong>in</strong> urban areas <strong>of</strong> more<br />
than 200,000 <strong>in</strong>habitants from 1999. The average age<br />
<strong>of</strong> vacant dwell<strong>in</strong>gs is much older than ma<strong>in</strong><br />
residences, which <strong>in</strong>dicates that many are not fit for<br />
human habitation.<br />
2.10.3 Economy<br />
TABLE 2.10.2 reveals that growth <strong>in</strong><br />
GDP <strong>in</strong> France has been relatively<br />
strong <strong>in</strong> recent years. GDP per<br />
capita (at current market prices)<br />
rose from €20,000 <strong>in</strong> 1995 to<br />
€24,000 <strong>in</strong> 2001. Although<br />
<strong>in</strong>flation has grown <strong>in</strong> recent years<br />
– from 0.7% <strong>in</strong> 1998 to 1.9% <strong>in</strong><br />
2002 – it rema<strong>in</strong>s relatively low <strong>in</strong><br />
comparison with many other<br />
European <strong>countries</strong>. This positive<br />
economic environment has had a<br />
Table<br />
2.10.3<br />
beneficial effect on unemployment, which has fallen<br />
from 11.9% <strong>of</strong> the active population <strong>in</strong> 1996 to 8.7%<br />
<strong>in</strong> 2002.<br />
2.10.4 Demography<br />
In 2001 the population <strong>of</strong> France stood at 59,188,000<br />
persons, which constitutes an <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>of</strong> 0.4% on the<br />
number <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>habitants <strong>in</strong> 1991. As TABLE 2.10.3<br />
demonstrates, this <strong>in</strong>crease is the result <strong>of</strong> a relatively<br />
high birth rate <strong>in</strong> comparison with most other<br />
<strong>countries</strong> exam<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> this review. Unusually, <strong>in</strong><br />
comparison with much <strong>of</strong> the rest <strong>of</strong> Europe, births <strong>in</strong><br />
France have significantly outnumbered deaths s<strong>in</strong>ce<br />
1985. The rate <strong>of</strong> population growth was significantly<br />
stronger <strong>in</strong> urban areas, particularly <strong>in</strong> the 52 largest<br />
urban centres.<br />
Despite this high birth rate, like many other European<br />
<strong>countries</strong> the structure <strong>of</strong> the French population is<br />
slowly age<strong>in</strong>g. The proportion <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>habitants aged over<br />
64 years rose from 14.8% <strong>in</strong> 1995 to 16.1% <strong>in</strong> 2003.<br />
In 2001 the average number <strong>of</strong> persons per household<br />
<strong>in</strong> France stood at 2.4.<br />
Demographic Trends <strong>in</strong> France, 1985-2003<br />
Per 1,000 <strong>in</strong>habitants<br />
Aged Aged Aged<br />
Natural < than 20 to 64 > 64<br />
Year Births Deaths <strong>in</strong>crease 20 years years years<br />
1985 14.1 9.9 4.3 Nav Nav Nav<br />
1990 13.6 9.2 4.5 Nav Nav Nav<br />
1995 12.8 9.1 3.7 26.4 58.5 14.8<br />
1998 12.8 9.1 3.7 26.0 58.5 15.5<br />
1999 12.9 9.1 3.8 25.9 58.4 15.7<br />
2000 13.3 8.9 4.4 25.8 58.4 15.8<br />
2001 13.2 8.9 4.3 25.7 58.4 15.9<br />
2002 (prov) 13.0 8.9 4.1 25.5 58.5 16.0<br />
2003 (prov) 12.9 9.1 3.8 25.4 58.5 16.1<br />
40 European Union Report<br />
Regular National Report on Hous<strong>in</strong>g Developments <strong>in</strong> European Countries<br />
41