Currently in the UK approximately 1.8% of the population use wheelchairs. Often this goes unnoticed because so much of the UK’s infrastructure is not fully accessible, but it would be the equivalent of 2 wheelchair users in every tube carriage. The same also applies to the vast majority of our housing stock, even new-build properties.
Only about one in five planning authorities make the inclusion of homes adapted for use for wheelchair users a requirement when new residential schemes are proposed (Source: Habinteg). Even when adaptions are required, a wheelchair user is often not the first occupant of the home, due to difficulties landlords and developers have in reaching out to prospective tenants and buyers.
How far do planning requirements go on accessible homes?
The National Planning Policy Framework encourages local planning authorities (LPAs) to adopt planning policies which make use of the Government's 'optional' technical standards for accessible and adaptable housing. LPAs who want to demonstrate their commitment to accessible new homes consequently do so in their local plans. Building regulations provide technical specifications for minimum accessibility across all homes (referred to as “part 4 M1”), but these are simply a bare minimum. The more significant standards of Part 4 M2 (adaptable) and part 4 M3 (adapted / wheelchair user dwelling) are key to driving properly accessible housing, since they both enable homes which can be lived in and used by wheelchair users other than as an occasional visitor (part 4 M1).
Whether to require the delivery of accessible and adaptable homes or a commitment to the delivery of wheelchair user housing specifically is a matter for each LPA to make its own decision on. Unfortunately, it is often the case that wheelchair and accessible dwellings are in practice occupied by persons who do not use a wheelchair.
LPAs can only justify having developers keeping homes available to wheelchair users for a certain period, and if one cannot be found during this time then they must allow the developers to release the homes for sale or rental on the open market to non-wheelchair users. Far too often, that is exactly what happens.
This does not have to be the case, however, and some larger investors have managed to buck the trend. By way of example, Legal and General Affordable Homes acquired a block of properties at Vantage Park in Wembley, and specifically engaged Abode Impact (an accessible housing specialist and agent) to ensure that the adapted properties went to wheelchair users. The six apartments which were wheelchair accessible proved very popular and were fully let within 3 months, despite coming onto the market over the Christmas period.
Environmental, social and governance obligations
Whilst ESG compliance is not a critical issue in every business, it does impact in some way on the majority of organisations and many want to “do the right thing” even if it is not strictly required by their investors, shareholders or stakeholders. One of the key advantages the property sector has is that, very often, good design and planning can supply substantial ESG benefits at relatively low or zero cost, simply by having the right asset in the right place.
What could drive the needed change in accessible housing and what does the future look like?
The growing institutional investor commitment to build to rent and single family rental sectors creates an excellent opportunity to bring forward opportunities for wheelchair users to rent well designed, accessible homes within large portfolios.
The Government is also in the process of major planning reform. Now would be a good time to consider firmer requirements on LPAs to require commitments in relation to significant proportions of homes being built to adaptable standards as well as a sizable but minority proportion built as fully adapted.
Whilst more detailed than in the past, the building regulation specifications of the categories can be improved further with practical experience and example since the time they were last updated in relation to accessibility.
Achieving some or all of these objectives will massively increase the economic productivity and social well-being of wheelchair users and their families, as well as drive commercial benefits to those landlords and developers with a strategy for the segment.
