Policy H/SS: Residential space standards and accessible homes

National planning policy states that planning policies should ensure that developments create places with a high standard of amenity for existing and future users. It specifically allows local authorities to include planning policies that make use of the nationally described residential space standard and the optional technical standards for accessible and adaptable housing.

Requiring all new homes to be

The Building Regulations 2010 cover the construction and extension of buildings, providing the minimum standards for design, construction and alterations to virtually every building. Building regulations approval is different from planning permission and you might need both for your project.

M4(2) ‘accessible and adaptable’ dwellings allows for dwellings to be adapted over time, including to accommodate a wheelchair user(s), or to take account of other disability or mobility issues. New self or custom build dwellings can also be designed specifically to meet the requirements of the occupant(s) and therefore take account of any disability or mobility issues.

Responses to the First Conversation highlighted a wish for new homes to meet the Lifetime Homes standard and be designed to include flexibility to enable adaptation during the lifetime of their occupants.

There was generally support for the

Short form for the Greater Cambridge Local Plan, which sets out policies to guide the future development of Greater Cambridge. It also sets out where future development will take place, and identifies land for new housing, community facilities, shops and employment. It is the key document use to determine planning applications for new development in the Greater Cambridge area.

continuing to set minimum size standards to ensure provision of sufficient indoor space, set requirements for accessibility and adaptability of homes, and make sure that new homes have access to private gardens and outdoor space. Respondents also commented that any requirements should not be applied inflexibly as some people are happy with smaller homes that are high quality. Developers highlighted that any required standards have implications for build costs, and that it is important that these requirements are considered in the viability assessment of the

Short form for the Greater Cambridge Local Plan, which sets out policies to guide the future development of Greater Cambridge. It also sets out where future development will take place, and identifies land for new housing, community facilities, shops and employment. It is the key document use to determine planning applications for new development in the Greater Cambridge area.

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1. Not implementing the nationally described space standards - This is not the preferred approach because our evidence shows that without specifically requiring the standards some developments will be designed to provide new homes below these standards.

2. Not requiring new homes to meet

The Building Regulations 2010 cover the construction and extension of buildings, providing the minimum standards for design, construction and alterations to virtually every building. Building regulations approval is different from planning permission and you might need both for your project.

M4(2) standard - This is not the preferred approach because the Cambridgeshire and West Suffolk Housing Needs of Specific Groups study (2021) provides recommendations on the percentage of new homes that should meet this standard based on evidence of need, and accessible and adaptable housing enables people to live more independently and it is better to build these types of homes from the outset rather than have to make adaptations at a later stage.

3. Not requiring new homes to meet

The Building Regulations 2010 cover the construction and extension of buildings, providing the minimum standards for design, construction and alterations to virtually every building. Building regulations approval is different from planning permission and you might need both for your project.

M4(3) standard - This is not the preferred approach because there is evidence of need for wheelchair user homes. The additional costs associated with providing homes to meet either of the M4(3) standards are significant and therefore requiring a higher percentage would have implications for other policy requirements or the overall viability of a development.

4. Not provide guidance on the provision of private amenity space for all new homes - This is not the preferred approach because national planning policy states that planning policies should ensure that developments create places with a high standard of amenity for existing and future users. Outside amenity space is an important part of this and the need for it was emphasised during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

  Short form for the Greater Cambridge Local Plan, which sets out policies to guide the future development of Greater Cambridge. It also sets out where future development will take place, and identifies land for new housing, community facilities, shops and employment. It is the key document use to determine planning applications for new development in the Greater Cambridge area.

  : Topic paper 7: Homes
• Greater Cambridge Housing Strategy 2019-2023: Homes for Our Future and Annexes 1-8 (Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, April 2019)
• Cambridgeshire and West Suffolk Housing Needs of Specific Groups Study (2021)
• Housing Needs of Specific Groups Study – Addendum for

  The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

  (2021)

South Cambridgeshire

Short form for the Greater Cambridge Local Plan, which sets out policies to guide the future development of Greater Cambridge. It also sets out where future development will take place, and identifies land for new housing, community facilities, shops and employment. It is the key document use to determine planning applications for new development in the Greater Cambridge area.

2018

• Policy H/9: Housing Mix
• Policy H/12: Residential Space Standards

Cambridge

Short form for the Greater Cambridge Local Plan, which sets out policies to guide the future development of Greater Cambridge. It also sets out where future development will take place, and identifies land for new housing, community facilities, shops and employment. It is the key document use to determine planning applications for new development in the Greater Cambridge area.

2018

• Policy 50: Residential space standards
• Policy 51: Accessible homes

Our consultation for this phase is now closed.