Densification In Social Housing Areas ' What You Should Be Aware Of

• Published date: 12 December 2023
• Law Firm: Plesner
• Author: Mette R'nnow, Frants Dalgaard-Knudsen and Lasse Stjernholm Detlevsen

Densification in social housing areas (a higher plot ratio than the existing) may create an opportunity for additional housing, and potentially a more varied social mix of residents. However, a housing organisation has to take into account a number of facts prior to initiating a densification project. We examine some of the most important issues in the following.

With more and more people wanting to live in large cities, there is a growing demand for housing. It has resulted in significant increases in the prices of housing and building plots in and around large cities.

Social housing organisations own approx. 20% of the building stock with related open spaces, and many social housing areas have a large potential for densification that may be brought into play to meet the increasing demand for various housing types.

As a consequence, the Danish Parliament, local authorities and the individual housing organisations have focussed increasingly on unexploited potential for densification in social housing areas. Several local authorities have a policy aim to increase the share of social housing but the high prices of building plots and building rights have rendered it difficult to build new social housing within the maximum amount allocated.

Densification in practice

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