Disabled architect and renowned access consultant, Amy Francis-Smith, argues that accessibility should be the focus of new local government house building.

The new Government’s plans for 1.5 million new homes places a big responsibility on local government. It will be sharing a major burden in building many of these homes and approving developments. But while people need more places to live, architects, builders and planners must place accessibility at the heart of the homes they create if they are to be fit for an ageing population.

A quarter of Britons will be over 65, in just over 25 years’ time, up from the current 19%. With the heavy crossover of an ageing populace and the increasing likelihood of mobility, vision or cognitive issues, there is little point in building new homes if people can’t live in them comfortably. Regulations and designs must be adapted to ensure that those moving into their family ‘forever’ homes don’t have to move in the future should their needs change. An enforced move later in life can be really damaging to one’s social support structures, friendships, and ease of navigating, which can have a negative impact on mental and physical well-being.

Accessibility makes financial sense

Local authorities and other social landlords who are constructing and providing new housing have tight cost constraints they must adhere to. So, designing houses that will need far fewer or much easier modifications in the future is a pragmatic choice. Retrofitting the likes of wider hallways for wheelchairs or doorways that are easier to get though can be very expensive.

New houses should have level entrances with suitable threshold drainage to avoid flooding or damp problems. Floor/roof joists should be strong enough to support hoists. As people get older and potentially have declining eyesight or difficulty getting around smaller spaces, turning circles or transfer zones will make properties more desirable. Creating homes with concertina panel walls or plasterboard partitions that aren’t set into the floor screed is a good way to futureproof a building and make reorganising layouts relatively simple.

These and other accessibility features, such as downstairs toilets which could become wet rooms, larger parking spaces, additional supports in the walls for future grab rails or shower chairs in bathrooms and windows that can be opened from a seated position aren’t just helpful for wheelchair users. All these elements create better living situations for families with buggies whose space needs change rapidly as their children grow and want somewhere other than their bedrooms to play. And how many of us sustain injuries from sports or minor accidents that make getting about difficult for a while?

Choosing the likes of deep pan drawers in place of base units, pull-down shelving and lower-level cookers and cupboards will mean kitchens are suitable for more people. Considering drainage that allows wet rooms to be installed, if required, is a desirable feature that goes well beyond accessibility.

Create space for a homelift to be installed. Compact standing models?often take up no more space than the footprint of a small armchair. This allows for another practical and appealing asset to be added when needed.

Indeed, I know from experience working with developers that homes that are accessible and allow for easy adjustment can command a premium and are highly sought-after by buyers and housing tenants alike. Building them is not costly idealism – it’s a very good investment.

Updating regulations

Of course, without the right regulations to support them, it’s difficult for local authorities to insist that developers create accessible homes. It also makes it harder to justify to council financial teams and senior leaders.

Current rules around new builds leave a lot to be desired. The M4(2) accessibility standards are still not universally adopted within the National Planning Policy Framework. This despite local authorities, developers and social landlords being consulted about them in 2020 and the then Government agreeing all new homes should meet M4(2) rather than the current M4(1) standards.

The design requirements for M4(2) are still fairly limited. They ask for the likes of downstairs toilets and ground-floor step-free room access, but homes don’t need to be fully wheelchair-accessible. M4(3) accessible homes, as laid out in the Approved Document Part M design guidance, are more considerate, however these are even more of a rarity. As of 2022, some local authorities have people waiting up to 47 years to be housed in a newly built fully wheelchair-accessible property.

Local authorities must make lobbying central government for clearer, more rigorous planning regulations a priority. Creating homes for an ageing population will require backing from all levels and organisations. If financial help for housebuilding doesn’t include this, councils and other social housing providers must push back and ensure that it does.

Amy Francis-Smith is a disability access consultant, features on the Shaw Disability Trust Power 100 and is a senior architect at Pinnegar Hayward Design LLP. She is a spokesperson for Stiltz Homelifts.