Flat market:The UK's first flatpack houses have fallen victim to the credit crunch. Most of the houses in the Ikea-designed development in Gateshead remain unsold, and 20 of the 36 apartments are still unoccupied.

The BoKlok houses, costing between £132,000 (€140,000) and £150,000 (€159,000) were conceived as a cheap, eco-friendly solution to housing shortage, but the developers are having to offer incentives of up to £5,000 (€5,300) to encourage would-be homeowners to commit.