The name 'cottage flats' is confusing as before the mid-1920s cottage housing referred to a single house, normally semi-detached, which contained living accommodation downstairs and bedrooms above. These were phased out by most urban local authorities as wasteful of space and economy after central government subsidies were reduced in the Housing Act 1924. The majority consist of four dwellings per block (which appear like
semi-detached houses), although such buildings are sometimes in the form of longer
terraces. Many were built in the 1920s and 1930s as part of the '
Homes fit for heroes' programme, but it has proved a popular housing model and examples are still being built today. Cottage flats are the predominant form of housing in many parts of
Glasgow, including
Knightswood,
Mosspark,
Croftfoot and
Carntyne. In
Edinburgh they are found in Lochend, Saughton, Stenhouse and Prestonfield. Cottage flats are mostly found with one, two, or three bedrooms. Four bedroom blocks also exist but are rare. In Edinburgh,
colony houses are mid-
Victorian cottage flat-type dwellings which are a similar idea, but of a very distinctly different architecture, being always found in terraces, never as semi-detached type cottages. They normally consist of a first floor flat with a two storey upper flat (known as a double upper), in early developments, accessed from an external stair. Both flats have their own garden either side of the building. The popularity of this arrangement has led to new developments echoing the form. ==Outside Scotland==