Housing For Older People Practice Advice Now Published

The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has just published its Housing for Older People practice advice, demonstrating how the planning system can drive the development of homes that are accessible, well maintained and affordable in places that provide access to both essential services and social connection opportunities.

Currently, most of the housing stock in England doesn’t meet the needs of an ageing population. However, this can be changed if the focus is put on quality and location of homes, as well as retrofitting existing properties and making strategic investments in mainstream housing to help hit net zero ambitions, tackle the housing crisis and support the health and wellbeing of older people.

Chief executive of the RTPI Victoria Hills explained that being proactive with planning for older people will help ensure that the necessary homes are built in the right places, with a focus on developing community hubs to service this demographic’s needs.

And Sarah Davis, senior policy and practice officer at the Chartered Institute of Housing, made further comments, saying: “CIH believes that the home is fundamental to health and wellbeing. For older people, living in homes that suit their needs and provide appropriate support and opportunities to engage with others is a huge benefit for living well and independently in older age.

“We welcome the opportunity to support this briefing from the RTPI, which will support local planners to include specialist homes in local plans and enable this opportunity to be available for more older people in their local areas.”

Research from BNP Paribas Real Estate recently revealed that some 3,245 communities must be constructed to help make up for the lack of housing supply for older people… with over 487,000 units required around the country.

 

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