The Retirement Housing Group UK recently published a report entitled Planning for retirement? How the planning system needs to change to better support the delivery of specialist housing for older people.

The report contains several proposals for doing exactly what the title suggests, and it provides an excellent overview of why the planning system should change considering the rapidly ageing population and a lack of appropriate housing.

As the report highlights, the Planning Practice Guidance states the need to provide housing for older people is critical. The language used here is important. This is not a ‘nice to have’ or ‘perhaps we need some older persons housing’. It is CRITICAL. However, in our experience working with many planning authorities, the breadth of older persons’ housing options is not known or understood, let alone reflected in Local Plans, the majority of which are out of date.

The proposal of putting a positive requirement on supply in the NPPF of 10% would get around the slowness of the production of Local Plans. If Local Planning Authorities had to prove this is over-provision, which is highly unlikely based on demographic trends, rather than vice versa this will immediately assist in site allocations and give a stick for the sector to succeed with planning applications as they will quickly be able to show most Local Authorities would have inadequate supply. As a result, there would be an automatic presumption in favour of approving such applications. This can only be a good thing.

The proposed Planning Practice Guidance mentions town centre locations, which corresponds to WWA’s own work in this area. There are numerous benefits to operators, residents, local communities, and the economy of town centres in older persons’ housing being located in these areas. A proportion of town centre sites should form part of the requirements for site allocations for older persons’ housing. Aside from changing CIL and financial contribution terms, this is one of the only ways to increase supply in these locations.

Overall, the report puts forward many sensible suggestions to improve the planning system to deliver more retirement housing. The question is, will Local Authorities integrate any?

For the full report please read here.