The Levelling up Housing and Communities planning consultation underway this winter may have negative implications for mainstream house building, but it is good news for older people’s housing and provides some hope for the later living homes sector.
“If you’re a landowner with a potential development site for a later living development, there is a real opportunity for you to take advantage of the changes,” says Tom Rankin, Director of Prime Land Consultants. “One of the positives aspects of this new Government consultation on national planning policy in England is that councils will have to redouble their focus and efforts on delivering sites in their areas for care homes, retirement villages and assisted living developments.”
Prime Land Consultants is a niche land agency which buys land and property off-market across the UK for retirement and later living developments. We also acquire sites for residential and light industrial developments.
The significant emphasis on boosting the supply of specialist accommodation for the elderly is underscored in the consultation ‘Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill: Reforms to National Planning Policy’.
Tom Rankin continues: “At last, after a lot of industry lobbying, some common sense seems to be emerging and there’s a proper realisation of the demographic time bomb caused by the UK’s ageing population.
“However, there are real concerns that far fewer mainstream homes will be built, ensuring housing completion targets continue to be missed by a mile. And, this is even before other issues get in the way of house building, such as the economic downturn and new rules about waste water treatment.”
Key Changes for Later Living Homes
The key changes proposed for retirement housing in the consultation are (source: paragraphs 5-9 of Chapter 5 of the consultation):
- Changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF): there is an additional expectation that planning authority development plans ensure that the needs of older people are met. Particular focus has to be given to allocating land for retirement housing, housing-with-care and care homes to help support England’s ageing population.
- Launching the new Older People’s Housing Taskforce, the Government aims is to improve the choice of and access to housing options for older people. The Taskforce will address how we can improve housing options for older people. This builds on Professor Mayhew’s 2022 report ‘Future-Proofing Retirement Living’.
The changes, if confirmed in Spring 2023, follow on from the support for the sector given in 2019’s Housing for Older and Disabled People’s planning guidance.
Serious 37% Shortfall in Retirement Homes by 2040
The Government consultation quotes from a report by the International Longevity Centre suggests that there will be a shortfall of 37% in specialist retirement homes by 2040.
Planning authorities need to establish the demand, size, type and tenure of housing required for different groups in their communities and reflect that in their planning policies. These groups include, amongst others:
- Those who require affordable housing.
- Families with children and older people who need to live in retirement housing, housing-with-care and care homes.
- Students.
- People with disabilities.
- Service families.
- Travellers.
- People who rent their homes.
- Those who would like to commission or build their own home.
This wide-ranging planning consultation sets out a host of forthcoming planning policy changes.
It is significant for the later living sector because it is a further signal of Government support for more innovative development in the retirement housing, housing-with-care and care home sectors which Council planners will have to continue encouraging.
Later Living Sites of 1 Acre Plus Needed
“If you are a landowner, you should consider whether you have any land with potential for retirement development. Prime Land Consultants has retained clients who want to buy brownfield and greenfield sites of 1 acre upwards in southern England and the Midlands.”
“You should submit comments on the consultation, if possible,” adds Tom Rankin of Prime Land Consultants.
You can contact Tom Rankin here at Prime Land Consultants.
Deadline for responses on the consultation:
Consultation responses should be made by 11.45 pm on Thursday 2 March by responding on the Citizen Space portal or emailing PlanningPolicyConsultation@levellingup.gov.uk
