Presentation tries to do a comparative analysis of plotted development and flatted development. It provides fuel for thought to architects, planners and policy makers about the options they should exercise while looking for planning communities and creating housing stock to meet the objective of housing for all.

1. Plotted Development
Vs
Flatted Development
Ar Jit Kumar Gupta
Chandigarh
Jit.kumar1944@gmail.com

2. SNO. CATEGORY PLOTTED
DEVELOPMENT
FLATTED
DEVELOPMENT
1. Pattern of
Development
Development largely based on
and comprising generally of
large number of plots having
variable sizes
Development based on plot
of larger size --as compared
to plotted development
2. Pattern of Land
Ownership
Land generally owned
individually or jointly in the
name of few family members -
-to promote individual housing
Land held in joint ownership
with large numbers of
owners-- to promote group
housing
3. Pattern of
development-
Height
Low rise - going generally up
to 3 stories high,
High rise-- generally going
4 or more stories
4. Land Utilisation Low - with larger area going
under roads and opens spaces
Higher order of land
utlisation-- with smaller area
going under roadsopens
spaces
5. Population/Housi
ng Density
Low density-- due to
individual ownership,--
depending upon individual
capacity, resources or
willingness to construct entire
/part of building
Higher density--due to joint
ownership ; depending upon
combined resources and
combined effort to provide
dwelling to all members/
landowners

3. SNO. CATEGORY PLOTTED DEVELOPMENT FLATTED DEVELOPMENT
6. Open Spaces Small in size - Open spaces
available within plots and held
in private ownership with
limited use only by the owners-
Increases need for making
provision of large open spaces
at the Neighbourhood level
Large in area- available as
integral part of housing-- held
in joint ownership to be used
by all the residents--. Reduces
need for making provision of
large open spaces at the
Neighbourhood level
7. Cost of
Construction
Generally high --as in the case
of low rise buildings and
individual services
Generally low-- due to high
rise and repetitive design of
dwelling units and common
services
8. Social
Sustainability
Low social sustainability-- due
to limited social interaction –
promoted by individual living
High social sustainability --due
to higher social interaction-
based on community living
9. Safety and
Security
Low level of safety and security
--due to individual living
High degree of safety and
security --due to community
living

4. SNO. CATEGORY PLOTTED DEVELOPMENT FLATTED DEVELOPMENT
10. Pattern of Living Promotes individual living --
leading to anonymity and
exclusion
Promotes community living --
leading to higher social
interaction
11. Design of Unit More design flexibility-- Large
variations found in design --due
to individual ownership
Low design flexibility --due to
multiple units and joint
ownership --- leading to
repetitive nature of design of
dwelling units -– Uniformity of
design is the crux
12. Cost of
Maintenance of
Services
Higher --due to individual
maintenance.
Expensive --considering life-cycle
cost of building.
Low maintenance cost- due to
collective maintenance by
society created by the flat
owners / fixed charges paid by
each flat owner. Cost-
effective considering life –
cycle cost
13. Creation of
Housing Stock
Low- due to non-construction on
plot in one go
- lower land utilisation
High- due to construction of
all flats in one go
--higher level of land
utilisation

5. SNO. CATEGORY PLOTTED DEVELOPMENT FLATTED DEVELOPMENT
18. Affordable
Housing
Makes cost of housing high and
unaffordable-- due to land cost
and cost of construction.
Inefficient method to create
large affordable housing stock
Makes housing cost-effective
and affordable --due to shared
land cost and lower cost of
construction .
Best method to create large
housing stock
15. Sustainability Low sustainability-due to large
dependence on common
facilities and services provided
in Neighbourhood
High sustainability- due to
provision of common facilities
and basic services as part of
group housing
16. Technologies Offers limited options --for
using state of art construction
technologies and minimising
cost
Offers large options -- for
using state of art construction
technologies to promote cost
and material efficiency
17. Green & Energy
Efficient Buildings
Offers limited cost-effective
options for-- promoting energy
efficiency, rain water
harvesting , ground water
recharging and solid waste
management.
Offers Large cost-effective
options for -- promoting
energy efficiency, rain water
harvesting , ground water
recharging and solid waste
management

6. SNO. CATEGORY PLOTTED DEVELOPMENT FLATTED DEVELOPMENT
18. Ground Coverage Ground coverage generally
higher in case of smaller plots—
-- However ground coverage
/FAR becoming lower with
increase in plot area.
Ground coverage generally
low as compared to plotted
development.–
-- FAR in some cases changes
with the width of approach
road—
-- Ground coverage and FAR
normally do not change even
with increase/decrease in plot
area. --Density achieved are
always higher -- depending
upon size of dwelling units.
19. Parking Norms No Parking norms defined for--
plotted development,
irrespective of plot size
Parking norms always defined--
for flatted development,
depending on the size and
category/number of dwelling
units
20. Affordability Makes housing largely
unaffordable
Promotes high degree of
affordability

7. SNO. CATEGORY PLOTTED DEVELOPMENT FLATTED DEVELOPMENT
21. Housing Shortage Inefficient method of
overcoming housing shortage
Best option to increase
housing supply and overcome
the housing shortage
22. Privacy Offers high degree of privacy
due to individual living
Less privacy due to community
/ joint living
23. Maintenance Problems of
maintenance/upkeep can be
attended immediately
Common problems of
maintenance/upkeep are
generally ignored/ neglected/
delayed
24. Conflicts Social conflicts are limited Probability of large
social conflicts
25. Management Individual/ family based
management
Community/society-based
management