Report urges shake-up of housing for elderly

A new report has recommended that the design and development of new homes for older people must become a national priority if the UK is to avoid a future housing crisis.

That call came from a panel set up by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) with support from Government departments. 

The panel’s report highlighted the need for more flexible building control standards and greater recognition by planning authorities of the housing needs of an ageing population. 

Latest projections have indicated that the number of people over 60 will increase by seven million over the next 25 years.

The panel stressed that Local Development Frameworks could play a key role in identifying suitable sites. Planning authorities should consider developing Supplementary Planning Documents for housing for older people and encourage its provision through Section 106 Agreements, the report said.

The panel also recommended that CLG should advise planning authorities on the appropriate application of planning Use Classes. The report pointed out those projects for older people “may represent a hybrid option between that for standard, general needs housing (C3) and that for residential care and nursing homes (C2) because such projects comprise both self-contained apartments and communal facilities/provision for care services”.

The report has called for the design of housing for older people to mirror the standards achieved by the housing industry in mainland Europe where apartment homes are a conventional part of urban culture.

Communities minister Lord McKenzie said: "I welcome this independent report. The recommendations made in it will be an important platform that helps to stimulate new ideas for specialised homes that meet the needs of our ageing population.

"We need to be leaders in providing homes that will adapt to our needs as we age, giving us more choice about how and where we live as we grow older.”

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Roger Milne

10 December 2009