NPPF Consultation: Increase Supply of Older Persons Housing

Prior to the Christmas break the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities launched a consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The Framework recognises that the population in the UK is ageing rapidly and around 1-in-4 will be aged 65 or over by 2041. There is a significant need for specialist retirement housing. 

In Chapter 5 of the consultation – ‘A planning system for communities’ there is a section entitled ‘More older people’s housing’. This puts forward proposals for the NPPF to further support the provision of specialist housing for older people.

There are two key proposals; the first is a commitment to improving the options for older persons’ housing and the second is the launch of a Task Force specifically for older people’s housing. Both proposals focus on a choice of options being available to create a diverse offer. There is no one size fits all solution to older person’s housing and offering a range of options creates the best chance of solving the lack of supply. As well as different typologies it is equally important that the locations are varied including town centres where services and transport connections are readily available.

Creating a task force should focus on increasing the supply of older persons’ housing, which benefits the NHS and wider social care services. It appears the impact of the lack of attention given to this area of the housing market over the last decade or so is starting to gain traction at government level. The UK has a long way to go when compared with supply in other countries around the world, however, overall, the proposals are a positive step to reduce the shortfall in supply.

At the end of the section, there is a question posed to the reader regarding supporting the supply of specialist housing. It is very important that this question receives as many positive responses as possible to make the change happen. A supply of specialist housing enshrined in the planning policy should help increase delivery.

The deadline for submissions to the consultation is 2nd March 2023 so please respond in support of the benefit of the sector!