New Local Plan

I do support any policy or plan which help to improve the accessible environment. If we aim at the best we can do then we meet the needs for all, meaning from the wheelchair user to family life.

If we generally build to M4 (2) Category 2: "Accessible and Adaptable", we would meet the needs for now and the future, therefore reducing cost. We could also allow for a percentage of schemes to have M4 (3) "wheelchair standard" dwelling to the ground floor, with the flexibility to design for specific needs if and when required.
The London Plan (www.london.gov.uk) 3.8 Housing Choice, LDF preparation and planning decisions - 3.3 (c) 90% of new housing to meet M(4) 2 "Accessible and Adaptable" AND 3.3 (d) 10% of new homes to meet M4 (3) "wheelchair standard".

It should be noted that there is only a cost difference of approximately £500 between the default M4 (1) "Visitable dwelling" and M4 (2) "Accessible and Adaptable".

However, as a help in going forward and to support inclusion, Habinteg who champion Accessible Homes and independent lives have produced a free toolkit. I have attached a link below to the Habinteg “free toolkit”. The tool kit helps all of those who approve and deliver new housing and meet housing need, to consider quality and inclusive housing when they are planning new homes, delivering adaptations or considering policy or procedure changes.

https://us5.campaign-archive.com/?e=&u=7b81a0fefdaf328c03211b92b&id=82a47f7e9d

To consider;
• providing and managing housing adaptations
• the allocation of housing
• planning for accessible homes
• strategic planning
• supporting tenants

The target providers;
• housing
• health and social care
• tenant engagement teams
• access officers
• planning and housing strategy

LOCALGOV Update - 25.2.19

Another need to address the "accessible housing crisis" through the local Plan......

Britain faces ‘accessible housing crisis’, charity warns

An elderly persons charity has warned that Britain is on the verge of an ‘accessible housing crisis’ due to planning policy failures.

Just 7% of UK homes meet basic accessibility standards, according to the English Housing Survey, despite national rules stating that a proportion of every development should include accessible homes.

The Centre for Ageing Better argues that the lack of accommodation fitted with features like level access entrances, walk-in showers or handrails is due to a national planning policy which is ‘fragmented’.

The charity says that the Government’s planning policy provides ‘no clear guidance’ to councils, who are responsible for delivering accessible housing, and that there is no standardised way to assess current and future need for accessible homes in an area.

They also said that local plans which would deliver accessible homes are often rejected.

A YouGov poll, commissioned by the Centre for Ageing Better, has revealed that nearly half (48%) of the population do not think society does enough to enable people to live independently and safely at home as they grow older.

This finding is supported by the fact that one in five homes in England is deemed ‘non-decent’, with non-decent homes disproportionately lived in by people in later life.

‘The woeful state of today’s housing stock is amongst the worst in Europe,’ said Dr Anna Dixon, chief executive of the Centre for Ageing Better.