In this chapter

• Introduction to development management policy
• Housing
  • Policy H/AH: Affordable housing
  • Policy H/RS: Affordable housing regeneration schemes
  • Policy H/RES: Rural exception sites
  • Policy H/EC: Affordable housing requirements within older person and specialist housing (including Extra Care)
  • Policy H/SH: Specialist housing and homes for older people design
  • Policy H/AS: Accessible homes and residential space standards
  • Policy H/HM: Housing mix
  • Policy H/BtR: Build to rent developments
  • Policy H/CL: Co-living schemes
  • Policy H/PBSA: Purpose built student accommodation
  • Policy H/SBCHB: Self-build and custom housebuilding
  • Policy H/GT: Gypsies, travellers and travelling show people
  • Policy H/M: Moorings
• Climate change
• Nature and ecosystem services
• Green Belt
• Jobs and economy
• Healthy, vibrant and inclusive communities
• Heritage and design
• Sustainable transport
• Pollution, contamination and safety
• Minerals and waste
• Waste
• Infrastructure

Policy H/SH: Specialist housing and homes for older people design

About this page

How this part of the Local Plan Options Document works

These Development Management policy option pages contain the following sections:

Policy background

• Relevant national policy or regulations
• National or regional trends
• Local situation and needs/li>
• How we have dealt with this issue in the past
• The thinking behind the policy

Policy options for the new Local Plan

We may suggest a variety of approaches:

• Keeping existing policy as it is
• Making small changes
• Replacing the policy with something that is substantially different
• Identifying factors or events which may affect this policy in the future

Policy option analysis

• A list of the advantages and disadvantages that we have identified for each of the policy options we are presenting.

More on this topic

Read the Housing topic paper,  Local Housing Need Assessment (LHNA) and Older Person's Housing Evidence Base document for in-depth focus about this topic, and the evidence which informs our policy. Visit our library of Local Plan Options supporting documents to learn more. 

Explore the policy

Select a section below to read more.

Policy background

9.43 Paragraph 135 of the NPPF highlights that planning policies should ensure that developments ‘create places that are safe, inclusive and accessible and which promote health and well-being, with a high standard of amenity for existing and future users…’.

9.44 Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) Housing for older and disabled people (published June 2019) sets out that it is critical to provide housing for older people as people are living longer and the proportion of older people in the population is increasing, and therefore offering older people a better choice of accommodation to suit their changing needs can help them live independently for longer, feel more connected to their communities, and help reduce costs to the social care and health systems. It also sets out that provision of appropriate housing for people with disabilities, including specialist and supported housing, is crucial in helping them to live safe and independent lives.

9.45 The National Design Guide sets out that ‘Well-designed places include a variety of homes to meet the needs of older people, including retirement villages, care homes, extra-care housing, sheltered housing, independent living and age-restricted general market housing. They are integrated into new settlements with good access to public transport and local facilities.’

9.46 In considering national and local planning policy and guidance together with B&NES Council strategies, Options for policy within the new Local Plan are set out below.

Policy options for the new Local Plan

Option A

Take forward current Development Plan Policy (H1 and relevant policy within CP10).

Advantages of Option A

Provides policy on specialist housing and homes for older people design requirements.

Disadvantages of Option A

• Current policy focusses on HAPPI standards and different design standards would be appropriate to different types of specialist housing and homes.
• Current policy falls under two different policies within the Development Plan.

Option B

Take forward design requirements for specialist housing and older person housing and facilities in line with best practice design principles (and that meet with CQC standards where required).

Advantages of Option B

• All benefits as listed for Option A.
• Proposes to include policy as relates to best practice design principles and that meets CQC standards where required.

Disadvantages of Option B

Whilst proposed policy sets out specialist housing and homes for older people design requirements, it does not include locational requirements.

Option C

Take forward design requirements for specialist housing and older person housing and facilities in line with best practice design principles (and that meet with CQC standards where required) and provide policy to ensure that specialist housing and homes for older people are designed to support integrated and cohesive communities in accessible locations.

Advantages of Option C

• Provides policy on specialist housing and homes for older people design requirements.
• Proposes to include policy as relates to best practice design principles and that meet with CQC standards where required.
• In addition, it provides locational requirements i.e. supports integrated and cohesive communities in accessible locations.

Disadvantages of Option C

None identified.