The Age UK/Habinteg campaign which calls for better accessibility regulations to be introduced as standard for new homes is gaining momentum. But, says Derbyshire Building Control Partnership (DBCP), there is an alternative.
Rather than a blanket increase in accessibility regulations, DBCP is urging local authorities to use the existing building control framework now to ensure that homes meet future housing demands by the local population.
Launched in August 2019, the ‘Home Truths’ campaign calls for all new homes to be built to higher accessibility standards which, developers argue, would increase property prices.
David Pratt, Building Control Manager at DBCP explained: “Building regulations are minimum standards. The framework is already in existence to push developers to build more accessible housing as local authorities can set optional technical housing standards, exceeding the minimum standards required by building regulations, to make homes more accessible and adaptable.”
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPFF) encourages local planning authorities to take evidence into account showing a need for specific housing and plan to create safe, accessible environments to accommodate.
Local authorities must take into consideration:
- Need for housing for older and disabled people (including wheelchair user dwellings)
- Size, location, type and quality of dwellings needed to meet specifically evidenced needs
- Accessibility and adaptability of existing housing stock
- How needs vary across different housing tenures
- Overall impact on viability
Currently only seven per cent of the UK’s existing housing stock has the most basic features that make homes accessible to disabled people and older people with restricted mobility.
David added: “Using the NPFF framework could future-proof housing stock for local authorities helping them meet the needs of their ageing population.”
There are currently 6.5 million people with mobility problems and 13.9 million disabled people in the UK and unless homes become more adaptable, Age UK and Habinteg are concerned that future generations will be forced to ‘make do’ in homes that fail to meet their needs and are jointly calling for:
- Regulation to ensure that all new homes are built to accessible adaptable standard (Category 2) as a minimum.
- 10% of new homes to be built to wheelchair accessible standards.
- In the interim, the Government to amend planning rules to protect the discretion of local authorities to decide the number of accessible homes built in their area.
Currently the accessible and adaptable standard for new homes – M4(2) and the wheelchair user standard M4(3) are optional, so local planning authorities have to justify the requirement of new homes in their area to be built to these standards. Developers are also able to challenge the local authority requirements, with the arguments often based on the additional cost to comply with the optional standards.
David added: “Local authorities should definitely consider the impact of using these optional standards now as part of their local plan viability assessment. While it’s crucial to create more accessible homes going forward, the additional cost could drive developers away from the area and, in turn, have a negative effect on the housing available.”
In a report commissioned by the government, it was estimated that it would cost an extra £521 to build an average three-bedroom semi-detached house to the M4(2) standard with a further space cost of £866 – £1,387 per dwelling.
Home Truths campaigners have challenged developers over their claims that delivering accessible housing is too costly, too difficult or simply undesirable for buyers by producing a factsheet rebutting the 10 myths about building accessible housing’. You can download the factsheet here.
For more information on the access standards you can view the Government’s approved document here or speak to DBCP’s expert team using contact details here.