New homes in London: Lawrence Square

The number of Britons working from home rose by 800,000 to 4.2 million in the last decade. Back in the Eighties, self-employed home workers were discovering the financial benefits — no train fares or office overheads. Many extended their home or converted the garden shed.

Then came the dotcom boom of the late Nineties, which triggered a spate of formal live/work developments, particularly in arty strongholds such as Shoreditch. The market later lost its fizz due to a planning clampdown, but now live/work is flourishing again.

Lawrence Square, pictured, in Tottenham, offers flats across two floors, one a designated “work” area with 600sq ft of self-contained space. Owners pay business rates on this area, plus council tax on the residential element. Prices from £629,995. Call Bellway on 0333 202 5175.