Accessible Homes 4.29
The NPPF requires local planning authorities to plan for people in their area with specific housing needs, including older people, and people with disabilities.
4.30
Based on evidence in the SHMA update, Local Plan policy H1, part 8 states that all new homes must be designed and constructed in a way that enables them to be adaptable, so they can meet the changing needs of their occupants over their lifetime, including as a result of any disability. The policy sets out requirements that all new build dwellings will, as a minimum, be constructed to Building Regulations M4 (2) Accessible and adaptable dwellings standards and any subsequent updates, unless it can be demonstrated that it is unfeasible to do so.
4.31
Major development schemes should also provide a minimum of 10% of new dwellings to accord with M4(3) Wheelchair user dwellings. All residential proposals should be accompanied by a document setting out how these standards are met. Any exemptions will only be considered where the applicant can robustly demonstrate that compliance would significantly harm financial viability, for example due to the topography of the site makes provision not feasible, or would not be practical given flood risk. If this is the case, the provision of accessible homes would only be reduced by the minimum necessary and applicants are expected to consider all other reasonable options for accessible home provision, for example, ground floor provision or ramped access, prior to demonstrating an exemption is required.
4.32
As identified above, there is a particular need for affordable wheelchair accessible housing in Spelthorne given the number of households on the Housing Register with medical needs and high demand relating to the Council’s Disabled Facilities Grants Programme. In view of this the Council will prioritise the provision of M4(3) wheelchair user dwellings as Social Rent (or Affordable Rent) housing. Accordingly, major residential developments should provide M4(3) wheelchair-user dwellings as Social Rent (or Affordable Rent) wherever practicable and viable.
4.33
For example, for a 100 unit development providing 30% affordable housing in line with Local Plan policy H2, 23 Social Rent homes would be provided in line with the required 75% Social Rent/ Affordable Rent: 25% Intermediate tenure split. Applying the 10% minimum M4(3) requirement to the scheme as a whole, at least 10 wheelchair accessible homes would be required, and these should be provided as Social/ Affordable Rent where practicable. Any exemptions to this approach will only be considered where it is robustly justified that this approach is not practicable or where there are wider benefits, for example if a level of affordable housing or Social Rent can be provided that is higher than the thresholds set out in policy H2.
Spelthorne Borough Council: A ordable Housing SPD
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