The drive to provide wheelchair accessible housing throughout both the private and public sector is beginning to bear fruit with new conditions finding their way into planning consents also starting to take effect.
A leading example of a public body tackling the problem is provided by the Greater London Authority’s Spatial Development Strategy, 'The London Plan' and its Supplementary Planning Guidance 'Accessible London: achieving an inclusive environment'.
These seek to ensure that in both the social and private sector 100% of residential properties are built to Lifetime Homes Standards and that 10% 'are designed to be wheelchair accessible, or easily adaptable for residents who are wheelchair users.
The London Plan refers to the ‘Wheelchair Housing Design Guide’ updated and published by Habinteg Housing Association in 2006.
Insisting that 10% are to be wheelchair accessible then poses the problem of how buyers are to be found for those homes.
In the public arena, the problem is being addressed by the creation of Accessible Property Registers but in the private sector the means are limited though growing.
The London Borough of Waltham Forest is in the vanguard of authorities tackling the issue head on.
Not only does the Borough oblige developers to provide properties with its own access standards, but it incorporates conditions that wheelchair accessible properties are also to be suitably marketed alongside all other units, using relevant websites and publications for a period of 3 to 6 months, with any unsold units being released to the general market thereafter.
As Jacquel Runnalls, Waltham Forest’s Senior Occupational Therapist in Housing states, 'the importance of well laid out, flexible design is key so that all those involved are happy with the product, its future use and unnecessary work and expense is avoided.
'This requires additional circulation space throughout, and thought given to layouts and future adaptability in key areas such as the bathroom and kitchen.
'The purchaser should be involved from an early stage to ensure that necessary features are incorporated.
'However, should they not require features such as a wet floor shower or an accessible kitchen, then the developer can, for example, retain a bath over the gulley and provide standard kitchen units.
The unit still then has the added, attractive, positive features of a larger, well designed unit. This is also in line with the well recognised principles of Inclusive Design.'
Mike Reid FRICS, of Mobility Friendly Homes explains, 'As an estate agency we realised that while there are firms which specialise in new homes, equestrian homes, homes in the sun etc there was no-one covering the market for accessible properties – in fact there was not even a name for this market place.
'At Mobility Friendly Homes we carry homeowners private advertisements together with those of developers. More importantly for the public we are building a network of estate agents who are mindful of access issues, marketing properties with good access and adaptations as special features and not something to be hidden.
'There are unknown, but very substantial numbers of people living in inadequate accommodation which does not meet their mobility needs.
'There is also a further body of people who need to move house due to new jobs, marriage, children leaving home etc, who are effectively locked into properties which have been adapted, because they cannot sell their current property or cannot find a new property which meets their requirements.
'As some 15% of the UK population consider themselves to be disabled in some way, that is a huge number of people with accommodation problems.'
Until developers and agents regularly highlight the access features of a property there will not be a perfect market, but access is a hot subject and the property industry is now waking up to this opportunity.
As Jacquel Runnalls explains, 'We have been working away at bringing new accessible properties into the market and this has just come to fruition at Forest Place where Barratt are delivering 12 wheelchair accessible apartments and Sutherland Road where Hadley are due to commence building 11 wheelchair accessible units for the private and intermediate market.
'We condition that these apartments are to be marketed to everyone, but also specifically disabled people and are delighted that there are now estate agency services specialising in selling qualifying properties.
'We provide developers with a selection of media through which to promote the accessible properties, and because the selection is (regrettably) small we can keep track of their marketing efforts.
'At the moment developers can be reluctant not only in providing the accessible accommodation, but in marketing it properly. Now that a market place exists we are hopeful that increasingly developers will see such marketing as plus point, providing them with a substantial new pool of potential buyers.'
For further details and an information pack, call Mobility Friendly Homes on 08456 120 280 or email info@mobilityfriendlyhomes.co.uk
