Local Plans / Supplementary Planning Documents

Local plans guide development at the local level in England. However, there is generally a lack of policy guidance from local planning authorities related specifically to specialist housing. There are occasionally policies relating to care homes but as new Local Plans emerge there are increasingly policies relating to 'specialist housing' which will need to be complied with.

Some authorities are issuing Supplementary Planning Documents on Extra Care Housing or make reference to housing for older people in the Strategic Housing Market Assessments.

In London, the Greater London Authority have published the following reports to help guide development:

• Homes for Londoners, Draft Affordable Housing and Viability Supplementary Planning Guidance (November 2016)
• Mayor of London's Housing Supplementary Planning Guidance (March 2016) (opens new window)
• London Draft Interim Housing Supplementary Guidance (May 2015) (opens new window)
• Further Alterations to the London Plan (March 2015) (opens new window)
• Accessible London: Achieving an Inclusive Environment Supplementary Planning Guidance (opens new window)
• Homes for Older Londoners (November 2013) London Authority (opens new window)
• Housing Design Guide (opens new window)
• The role of the planning system in delivering housing choices for older Londoners – Mayor of London (2012) (opens new window)

Other examples include:

• RTPI practice advice - Housing for Older People: Planning for the Future
• Gateshead Council's Specialist and Supported Housing Supplementary Planning Document
• Telford & Wrekin Council's Supplementary Planning Document, Homes for All
• TCPA Building for the Future: The Role of County Councils in Meeting Housing Need
• Windsor & Maidenhead Borough Council's Supplementary Planning Document, Planning for an Ageing Population, and
• the Kent Housing Group's framework, Better Homes: housing for the third age - A framework for delivering older people's accommodation across Kent and Medway.
• NPPF Briefing note on specialist housing for older people in Cornwall
• Stafford BC Community Infrastructure Levy, preliminary draft charging
• schedule (Consultation June 2015)
• Torbay Council Community Infrastructure Levy, Submission Draft Charging
• Schedule (September 2016)

However, there is currently no specific process for allocation of land for extra care or specialised housing at the local planning authority level (Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessments (SHLAAs), generally currently only look at land for residential use) but there is scope for SHLAAs to look at land available for specialist housing for older people and is being encouraged. Indeed the Toolkit: 'Housing in Later Life' suggests this is a priority for Local Planning Authorities.

Furthermore, to help planners, commissioners and developers to better understand the market for housing for older people across all tenure, the Housing LIN - in partnership with Elderly Accommodation Council - have developed a useful free online Strategic Housing for Older People Analysis Tool (SHOP@) (opens new window) to aid forecast demand and supply by 2030 in their area

Further information on local level experience of specialist older people's housing can be found in "Knitting Together (opens new window)".