Write up tries to distinguish between plotted and flatted development , their comparative advantages and context in the planning and development of human habitat. It also evaluates the efficacy and efficiency of the two typologies

1. Difference betweenPlotted Development(PD) and
Flatted Development(FD)
i. Pattern of Development
PD- Involves development based on and comprising of number of plots having
variable size generally of smaller size
FD- Involves development based on on plots of larger area as compared to
plotted development
ii. Pattern of Land Ownership
PD- Land generally owned individually or jointly in the name of few family/friends
to promote individual housing
FD- Land held in joint ownership with large numbers of owners to promote group
housing
iii. Pattern of development- Height
PD-Low rise going generally up to 3 stories high, height
FD- High rise generally going 4 or more stories.
iv. Land Utilisation
PD- Low with larger area going under roads , opens spaces and community
facilities
FD- High with smaller area going under roads, opens spaces and community
facilities
v. Population/Housing Density
PD—Low due to individual ownership, depending upon individual capacity,
resources or willingness to construct entire or part of building
FD- High due to joint ownership and depending upon combined resources and
combined effort to provide dwelling to all land owners
vi. Open Spaces
PD- Small in area - Open spaces available within plots and held in private
ownership with limited use only by the owners- Increases need for provision of
large open spaces at the sector level
FD- Large in area- jointly held in joint ownership to be used widely for the
benefit of all the owners. Reduces provision of large open spaces at the sector
level
vii. Cost of Construction
PD- Generally high in the case of low rise buildings
FD- Generally low due to- multiple and repetitive design of dwelling units
viii. Social Sustainability
PD- Low social sustainability due to lower social interaction promote by
individual living

2. FD- High social sustainability due to higher social interaction based on
community living
ix. Safety and Security
PD- Low level of safety and security due to individual living
FD- High degree of safety and security due to community living
x. Pattern of Living
PD- Promotes individual living leading to anonymity and exclusion
FD- Promotes community living leading to higher social interaction
xi. Design of Unit
PD- More design flexibility due to single unit and limited ownership
FD- Low design flexibility due to multiple units and joint ownership leading to
repetitive nature of design of dwelling units
xii. Cost of Maintenance of Services
PD- Higher cost due to individual maintenance. Expensive considering life-cycle
cost of building.
FD- Low maintenance cost- due to collective maintenance done by society
created by the flat owners . Monthly maintenance charges are paid by each flat
owner. Cost- effective considering life –cycle cost
xiii. Creation of Housing Stock
PD- Low- due to non-construction on plot in one go leading to lower land
utilisation
FD- High- due to construction of all flats in one go – leading to higher level of
land utilisation
xiv. Affordable Housing
PD- Makes cost of housing high and unaffordable due to land cost and cost of
construction. Inefficient method to create large affordable housing stock
FD- Makes housing cost-effective and affordable due to shared land cost and
lower cost of construction, best method to create large housing stock
xv. Sustainability
PD- Low sustainability-due to large dependence on common facilities and
services provided in the sector
FD- High sustainability- due to provision of common facilities and basic services
as part of group housing
xvi. Technologies
PD- Offers limited options for using state of art construction technologies and
minimising cost
FD- Offers large options for using state of art construction technologies to
promote cost and material efficiency

3. xvii Green & Energy Efficient Buildings
PD- Offers limited effective /efficient and cost-effective options for promoting
energy efficiency, rain water harvesting , ground water recharging and solid
waste management.
FD- Offers Large effective/efficient and cost-effective options for promoting
energy efficiency, rain water harvesting , ground water recharging and solid waste
management
xviii Ground Coverage
PD- Ground coverage generally higher as compared to flatted development with
ground coverage and FAR becoming lower with increase in plot area. Number of
development units and population density not defined for plotted development
FD- Ground coverage generally low as compared to plotted development. Ground
coverage and FAR donot change even with increase/decrease in plot area. Development
largely governed by pre-defined density and size of dwelling units.
xix Parking Norms
PD- Parking norms are not defined for plotted development, irrespective of plot size
FD- Parking norms are clearly and precisely defined for flatted development, depending on
the size and category/number of dwelling units