That's according to east Londoners, asked by the Institute for Public Policy Research. New homes were also said to suffer from small rooms and a lack of privacy and outdoor space. It's bad news for the Government, whose Thames Gateway house building plan is intended as an answer to overcrowding and high prices in the Capital, and it's an interesting comment on the state of new-builds in the country. The focus groups suggested they'd only be attracted away from "the second-hand market" by more individual-looking properties, designed around a proper plan that puts community first. More, here. And, below, some of the comments lifted from the focus groups (because they're interesting):

"The number of times I walk to the corner shop because I haven't got any milk! You need one of those."
"You need shops you can walk to. Just for bread or milk. And maybe a takeaway."
"When I go to a house I look at the street. Where the shops are located. Bus stops and train stations. Facilities I'm going to need every day."
"We get bigger TVs and bigger stereos, but they keep the walls really thin so you can hear everything."
"I'm paranoid about new build houses - a lot of them are lifeless."
"They are all made out of the same sort of shiny brick. They look like plastic houses"
"We don't want to feel like we are living as just one more in a series. We want our home to be a bit different."