I grew up in Edinburgh - which along with Glasgow has the highest percentage of households living in flats in the UK (greater than even London). The apartments in Edinburgh can be incredible - often 150-200 square meters, 3.5-4m ceilings and large reception rooms. Sometimes even larger. They make a great streetscape too.

I live in London now, and the buildings are far less impressive. London is a very low density city - it very quickly becomes 2-3 storey terraced houses, even in central areas. With the exception of a few grand mansion blocks in the centre, flats in this city are pretty small - most of them were built as social housing or created by subdividing existing houses. It's a shame, as living in a well built large apartment can be excellent.

The English problem with flats is primarily a legal one. The leasehold system puts power in the hands of an uninterested landlord - and so makes owning a flat an exercise in frustration. Nobody desires to live in a flat because they're small and owning them is bureaucratic and expensive. The system perpetuates itself.