Accessible Housing in LondonPolicy into Practice

Julie Fleck OBEPrincipal Access AdviserGreater London Authority

Accessible Housing in LondonPolicy into Practice

London Plan Policies

Proposals for A New Plan for London

Standards and guidance

Inclusive Housing in the future

London Plan Policies

London Plan Policy 4B.5Creating an Inclusive Environment• Development to meet the highest standardsof accessibility and inclusion.• Borough development plan policies shouldintegrate and adopt the principles of inclusivedesign.• Access Statements should explain how theprinciples of inclusive design, including thespecific needs of disabled people, have beenintegrated into the proposals.

Inclusive Design Principles

creates an environment where developments can:•be used safely, easily and with dignity by all regardlessof disability, age, gender, ethnicity•are convenient and welcoming with no disabling barriers,so everyone can use them independently withoutundue effort, separation or special treatment•are flexible and responsive taking account of whatdifferent people say they need and want, so people canuse them in different ways•are realistic, offering more than one solution to helpbalance everyone’s needs, recognising that one solutionmay not work for all.

Policy 3A.5Housing Choice•Mix of housing sizes and types, takingaccount of the housing requirements ofdifferent groups•All new housing is built to Lifetime Homestandards•10% of new housing is designed to bewheelchair accessible or easily adaptablefor residents who are wheelchair users

Implementation Tools

•Borough Development Plan Documents•Supplementary Planning Guidance•Case Study Examples•Best Practice Guidance•Pre application advice•Access Statements•Monitoring - London Development

Database

SPG Accessible LondonImplementation Point 12:Lifetime HomesThe Mayor will and boroughs should seek toensure that all residential units in new housingdevelopments are designed to Lifetime Homesstandards. These standards should be appliedto all new housing, including conversions andrefurbishments, and including blocks of flats, forboth social housing and private sector housing,and should cater for a varying number ofoccupants.

Best Practice GuideWheelchair Accessible Housing• advice on policy implementation• explains difference between LTHand wheelchair user housing• promotes the provision of morewheelchair accessible housing• combat disability discrimination inboth the private and social rentedsectors• provides detail on the key featuresin the SPG that make a home easilyadaptable for wheelchair users• includes technical information onhow to design homes from the outsetthat are easy to adapt

Access Statements checklist of key features•LTH 16 criteria - SPG Accessible London•Wheelchair user housing

Basic design considerations - GLA Best PracticeGuide

–Inclusive solutions–Transport, parking, external facilities,–Entrances–Communal areas–Internal planning–Bathrooms–Windows, balconies, gardens–Future proof, build in adaptability

Monitoring the implementationof Lifetime HomesSavills research project June 2008:•Desk top search of borough policies and guidance•Questionnaire survey of 33 London boroughs•Discussions with 3 housing developers and 6 architects•Review of 15 permitted schemes•Review of 3 built schemes•Recommendations on

•policy and guidance•monitoring•implementation

Proposals for A NewPlan for London

A New Plan for LondonProposals for the Mayor’s London Plan The Mayor’s Vision: To ensure that over theyears to 2031:

•London excels amongglobal cities•Achieves the highestenvironmental standardsand quality of life•Leads the world in itsapproach to tackling theurban challenges of the21st Century

Implementing the vision6 objectives

•a city of diverse, strong, secure and accessible neighbourhoods

•a city that delights the eye – and realises its potential for improvingLondoners health, welfare and development

•a city where it is easy, safe and convenient for everyone to accessjobs, opportunities and facilities

www.london.gov.uk/mayor/publications/2009/05/london-plan-initial-proposals.jsp

Review of the London Plan•Provide greater support for meeting the housing needsof older and disabled people and for studentaccommodation•Strengthen the promotion of lifetime homes standardsand wheelchair accessible housing in all newdevelopments•Protect and enhance social infrastructure, communityfacilities and amenities•Ensure homes, places of work and leisure, streets,neighbourhoods, parks and open spaces are designed tomeet the needs of all Londoners in all stages of their lives•Meeting the highest standards of accessible andinclusive design principles

Standards and guidance

Mayor’s Housing Design GuideJuly 2009

Place ShapingPublic RealmTypologiesSpace StandardsLifetime Home Standards MainstreamedPrivacy and security

CABE Building for Lifemeasuring the design quality of new housingCharacter•exhibit architectural quality•layout that is easy to find yourway around

Roads, parking andpedestrianisation•pedestrian friendly streets•do routes feel safe

Design and construction•do buildings outperformminimum standards•do internal spaces and layoutallow for adaptation, conversionor extension (LTH)

Environment and community•Mix of accommodation•Close to community facilities

Code for Sustainable HomesTechnical Guide March 2007

Health and Wellbeing:•Daylighting•Sound insulation•Private Space•Lifetime Homes

British Standard DD 266:2007Design of Accessible Housing

Based on LTH specification updated to take account ofdesign features common in high density flats andincorporating some of the easily achievable key featuresof wheelchair housing

BSI will review draft and subject to responses receivedwill consider whether to convert it into a British Standard

BSI considering a DD on wheelchair housing

Lifetime Homes Lifetime NeighbourhoodsNational Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society

Neighbourhoodsdesigned to bewelcoming, accessibleand inviting foreveryone, regardless ofage, health or disability.

Housing, transport andpublic services, civicspace and amenitiesenable people to takepart in the life of thecommunity.

Towards Common GroundHelp the Aged

Manifesto for lifetime neighbourhoods

1. Basic amenities withinreasonable reach

2. Safe, secure andclean streets

3. Realistic transportoptions for all

4. Public seating5. Information and

advice

6. Lifetime homes7. Older people’s voices

heard8. Places to meet and

spend time9. Pavements in good

repair10. Public toilets

Inclusive Housingin the future

The future home

FlexibleAdaptableSpaciousSuits a variety of diverse needsReduced adaptations costs and timescalesChoiceDignityIndependenceNo special needs?

More InformationGLA SPG/BPG, case studies, research report:http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/strategies/sds/accessible_london.jsp

GLA Proposals for a new plan for London :http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/publications/2009/05/london-plan-initial-proposals.jsp

CLG Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoodshttp://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/lifetimehomesneighbourhoods

British Standards Institution DD266: www.bsigroup.com

CABE Building for Life http://www.cabe.org.uk/building-for-life