Similarly, if a balcony is life-style critical, presumably one will only purchase a unit that features same.
Not every building needs balconies.
No, they don't. But removing balconies from a building that has always been designed to have them to improve the exterior look is purely superficial.
Where I would address the issue of shoe-box living is legislating a minimum size for units, because there is a realistic amount of space required for living for at least 90% of the population; and most new builds are now below it at every level of bedroom count.
Well, as is pretty much apparent now, they're being built for investors and landlords wanting to take advantage of a lack of housing. They create the market conditions with the intention of taking advantage of them.
We call housing a right in this country, but don't treat it as such. If investors and landlords went into all the grocery stores in this city and bought up 95% of the food in order to turn around and resell it at an inflated profit, they'd be flogged in the streets.
Kitchens are too small even for those who never do anything more complicated that coffee and toast; eating areas are too small for those who only eat in twice a week and never entertain, living spaces are too small for those
who live alone and leave early and stay out late.........etc.
I fully agree; but that's not going to be a problem fixed by getting rid of balconies.
For a 1bdrm I would impose a bare minimum of 65m2 (700ft2) + a 9m2 (96ft2) balcony in a usable shape. Alternatively, no balcony, the minimum indoor size increases by the same m2 as the balcony. ie. Minimum
unit size for a balcony-less 1bdrm would be 74m2 or 796ft2.
Fair, but not all structures can just move the wall out to the balcony.
Give people room to live; but you don't need to narrowly dictate how that space is allocated.
But that's already done with the bedroom layout, etc. Unless devs start selling base-building units, we've gotta stick with what's been dictated anyway. "Dens" that are barely bigger than a walk-in closet, for example, are great for bulking up sell-sheet appeal, but aren't all that practical.