Accessible and Adaptable Housing Karen Sawyer Head of Cornwall - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Information Classification: PUBLIC Accessible and Adaptable Housing Karen Sawyer Head of Cornwall Home Solutions (Slide credit: Habinteg) April 2019

Information Classification: PUBLIC Content • Need for adaptations & accessible housing in Cornwall • National data and research • The Building Regulations 2000 Part M • Planning Policy around the Country • Cornwall Council Local Plan & SPG • Hope for the Future

Information Classification: PUBLIC Disabled people ‘have the opportunity to choose their place of residence and where and with whom they live on an equal basis with others and are not obliged to live in a particular living arrangement.’ Article 19, UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Information Classification: PUBLIC How many households in Cornwall contained at least one person with a long term health problem or disability? A) Circa 20,000 B) Circa 87,000 C) Circa 200,000

Information Classification: PUBLIC What’s the estimated number of wheelchair user households living in Cornwall? A) Circa 2,000 B) Circa 5,500 C) Circa 7,200

Information Classification: PUBLIC How many major adaptations did CHS complete last year? A) 355 B) 682 C) 984

Information Classification: PUBLIC What is the most common adaptation undertaken by the Home Solutions Team? A) Stairlifts B) Level Access Showers C) Extensions D) Ramping

Information Classification: PUBLIC Disabled Facilities Grants • Increasing number of DFGs • The majority of cases are: – Level Access Showers (31%) – Bathroom alterations (24%) – Stairlifts (22%)

Information Classification: PUBLIC What percentage of homes nationally in 2015 contained only the basic visitability features? level access to the entrance, a flush threshold, wide doorways and circulation space, toilet at entrance level A) 7% B) 12% C) 20%

Information Classification: PUBLIC Some Data • 93% of all homes aren’t accessible * • Circa 1.9m households require adaptations * • 9% of the population of Cornwall in 2015 was in receipt of either Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance • Demand for adaptations, accessible housing & wheelchair user dwellings will increase * Source:- English Housing Survey Adaptations & Accessibility report 2014 - 15

Information Classification: PUBLIC All Party Parliamentary Group inquiry on decent and accessible homes • Living in poor quality inaccessible homes, whether owned or rented, has a detrimental impact on older people’s physical and mental wellbeing. • supported and retirement housing developments are a very small part of the market and are unlikely to provide a solution for most older people in need in the foreseeable future.

Information Classification: PUBLIC Hidden Housing Crisis for Wheelchair Users Aspire research (2014) found that: There are around 24,000 wheelchair users in England waiting for appropriate social or affordable housing. Habinteg research (2010) found that: The estimate of wheelchair user households in England with unmet housing needs is 78,300, which translates to 240 households in an ‘average’ local (housing) authority with a total of 68,064 households.

Information Classification: PUBLIC Equality & Human Rights Commission (2018) Our report reveals that there is a significant shortage of accessible homes and that many disabled people are frustrated by the housing system.

Information Classification: PUBLIC October 2015 – the date it all changed

Information Classification: PUBLIC Structure of Part M4 access standards

Information Classification: PUBLIC Category 2 Accessible, adaptable standard: Ground floor Accessible threshold to rear doors Living area at entrance Low level glazing and level window handle heights

Information Classification: PUBLIC Category 2 Accessible, adaptable standard: Upper floor Clear access route to reach the bedroom windows Doors and Bathroom with clear access corridors of zones to give access to all adequate width sanitary ware

Information Classification: PUBLIC Accessible, adaptable, inclusive Truly visitable because amenities are accessible to most regardless of any mobility impairments. #Foraccessiblehomes – Habinteg’s campaign

Information Classification: PUBLIC Accessible Homes Crisis • Habinteg undertook analysis of Local Plans • 322 draft and adopted local plans were identified and reviewed • M4(2) homes required in 96 English local plans • London plan requires M4(2) in 90% of new homes • Outside London 14% of new homes will be M4(2), with 8% specified to Lifetime Homes. • Plus some local authority housing companies and other developers by choice for quality and Value for Money.

Information Classification: PUBLIC National use of ‘optional’ standards

Information Classification: PUBLIC Regional variation in forecast to 2030

Information Classification: PUBLIC South West in detail 37 Local plans (14 adopted before 2015 rule change) Of plans drafted or adopted since the rule change: • 8 plans have a requirement set for M4(2) or M4(3) in some homes. • 1 requires outdated LTH or Wheelchair Housing Design Guide standard Of new 301,741 homes planned in SW by 2030 • 11% are due to be M4(2), 7% LTH • 0.76% are due to be M4(3), with no old standard wheelchair specified.

Information Classification: PUBLIC Cornwall v SW v National Average in detail Policy status re M4 / Proportion of Accessible Any new other standards new homes by home per home per 2030 best case head of pop head of pop National 43% of plans contain 34% 1:67 1:23 policy SW 8 of 37 (21%) require 20% 1:94 1:18 some M4(2) or M4(3) 4 require other. Cornwall M4(2) required in 25% new 25% 1:78* 1:19* homes ( dev’ts n10+) Zero M4(3) requirement *Pop of Cornwall used for calculation: 563,600

Information Classification: PUBLIC Cornwall Local Plan • Adopted in 2016 • Policy 6: Housing mix - Respond to the requirements of a changing population and of particular groups in the community, by increasing the supply of accessible and specialist housing which is able to meet people’s needs throughout their lifetimes. • Policy 13: Development standards - Housing developments of 10 dwellings or greater should provide 25% of dwellings as M4 (2) unless site specific factors make the development unsuitable for such provision.

Information Classification: PUBLIC Draft Housing Supplementary Planning Document • Final draft published in May 2019, Due for adoption by Cabinet in winter 2019/2020 • Encourages development to provide a range of accommodation to meet the needs of an ageing or less mobile population • Ensures that homes are sufficiently flexible to adapt to people’s needs throughout their lifetimes. • The Council will take a pragmatic and positive approach to economic viability and may accept a lower overall level of affordable housing on sites which support the provision of ….wheelchair adaptable and wheelchair accessible homes. • Accessible and Adaptable (Building Regulations M4 (2)) standard as a minimum.

Information Classification: PUBLIC APPG inquiry on decent and accessible homes • We must make it possible to improve the condition of the current housing stock so that older people living in their homes are safe and well. It is also crucial that local authorities are able to plan and build new general purpose homes in the UK that are fully accessible, adaptable and built for life

Information Classification: PUBLIC Hope for the Future • Call for a Healthy Homes Act (Town & Country Planning Association) • Significant agreement across sector - Default requirement Building Regs M4 (2) • Recommended by Equality & Human Rights Commission (2018), • Future Home Standard

Information Classification: PUBLIC Accessible Homes Makes Sense • Well-designed accessible inclusive housing is accessible to all: it is the very opposite of niche housing. • For private developers this means there is a strong market – and a market that will get stronger over time – and • For the public sector building accessible homes means investing public funds in housing that will benefit the greatest range of people.

Information Classification: PUBLIC Housing & Ageing Alliance Manifesto “ As a minimum make Building Regulations standard M4 (2) the default for all new homes as well as working with stakeholders to create a new ‘age friendly housing’ standard ”

Information Classification: PUBLIC Help & Support Training and support via Centre for Accessible Environments on: - Technical aspects of the standards - Overview of accessible housing policy an practice - Toolkits on planning accessible homes and other aspects of practice related to disable people and housing produced with EHRC: https://www.habinteg.org.uk/ehrc or contact - Habinteg, 020 7822 8715

Information Classification: PUBLIC Thank you / Meur ras If you have any questions or comments karen.sawyer@cornwall.gov.uk

Information Classification: PUBLIC Affordable Housing Extra Care and Housing for Older People Nicky Mannell Principal Affordable Housing Officer April 2019

Information Classification: PUBLIC What I am going to cover • Data • Types of housing • Some design principles • Affordable rent and shared ownership • Challenges from your perspective