Builders urged to build more as demand soars among younger buyers

The bungalow has often been considered the perfect retirement property to save creaking knees from stairs.

But after research suggested they are being snapped up by much younger buyers, calls are growing for housebuilders to address the 'chronic shortage' of single-storey homes as they become more popular.

One in seven homeowners aged 55-plus who took part in a survey said they wanted to move, but cited the lack of suitable homes as a disincentive, as well as the stress and upheaval of moving and not wanting to leave their community behind.

The research, published by the HomeOwners Alliance, suggested that 38 per cent of homeowners aged 55-plus would prefer a bungalow for their next move.

But it pointed to figures from warranty provider the National House Building Council revealing that bungalows made up just 1 per cent of new home registrations last year compared with 11 per cent in 1990.