Policy information sourced from the Islington Development Management Policies

DM3.4 Housing standards

All new housing developments (including conversions, Changes of Use, Houses in Multiple Occupation, and sheltered housing) are required to provide accommodation that meets the following criteria:

  • Accommodation of adequate size, with acceptable shape and layout of rooms (with due consideration to aspect, outlook from habitable rooms, noise, ventilation, privacy, light).
  • Functional and useable space that has good provision for play, amenity and garden space.
  • Sufficient space for storage and utility purposes.
  • Built to be accessible and adaptable to meet changing occupier circumstances over the lifetime of the development.
  • 10% of all new housing, calculated against the number of habitable rooms, is required to be wheelchair accessible, or easily adaptable for residents who are wheelchair users. The wheelchair accessible units should be provided across all tenures and unit sizes, and integrated within the development. Each wheelchair housing unit is required to be single-storey, preferably on the ground floor. Where provided above ground floors there must be at least two suitable lifts available for use by each unit within a convenient distance from the front door of the units.

Internal floor area

  • All new residential developments, conversions and extensions are required to meet or exceed the minimum space standards set out in Table 3.2. For dwellings designed for more than six people, an extra 10m2 is required for each additional occupant above the sixth person accommodated.
  • Built-in general internal storage space free of hot water cylinders and other obstructions, with a minimum internal height of 2 metres and a minimum area of 1.5m2 , must be provided for 1-2 person dwellings, in addition to storage provided by furniture in habitable rooms. For each additional occupant an additional 0.5m2 of storage space is required. These requirements are reflected in Table 3.2.
  • Rooms must be designed to function comfortably and efficiently for their intended purpose, including having regard to the size standards set out in Table 3.3.
  • Kitchens/diners should normally be provided as separate from living rooms as set out in the Accessible Housing in Islington SPD.
  • At the planning application stage, applicants are required to provide details of proposed overall floorspace and a breakdown of room sizes, including occupancy. This may be provided within the Design and Access Statement or as a separate document.
  • Dwelling plans are required to demonstrate how dwellings will accommodate standard-sized furniture, access and activity space needs related to (a) the declared level of occupancy, and (b) standards required and described in the Accessible Housing SPD for flexible homes and/or wheelchair accessible standards.
  • Those details not evident on the dwelling plan are required to be detailed in the Design and Access Statement and relevant schedule of accommodation (for example, details such as level entry showers and the route for ceiling mounted hoists).

Floor to ceiling heights

  • In new housing development all habitable rooms, kitchens and bathrooms are required to have a minimum floor to ceiling height of 2.6 metres (between finished floor level and finished ceiling level).
  • In residential conversions, including extensions, where the original ceiling height is maintained, a lower ceiling height may be acceptable where it can be demonstrated that overall a good standard of daylight, ventilation and useable floorspace can be provided.

Dual aspect

  • New residential units are required to provide dual aspect accommodation, unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated.
  • For sites where dual aspect dwellings are demonstrated to be impossible or unfavourable, the design must demonstrate how a good level of natural ventilation and daylight will be provided for each habitable room.

Daylight and sunlight

  • The design of all residential development is required to maximise natural light into the room (subject to passive heating and cooling considerations). The glazing to all habitable rooms should be generous and aim to be not less than 20% of the internal floor area of the room.
  • All dwellings should provide for direct sunlight to enter the main habitable rooms for a reasonable period of the day. Living areas, kitchen and dining spaces should preferably receive direct sunlight.

Approach and entrance

  • The overall approach to all entrances should be logical, legible and level or gently sloping.
  • The overall travel distance between drop-off points (i.e. car parking spaces, car club bays, loading bays), the main entrance of a development, and the entrance of each individual dwelling should be kept to a minimum and demonstrably within the reach of ambulant disabled people. There should be a maximum total distance of 75 metres as required by the Accessible Housing in Islington SPD.
  • Common entrances should:
    • be visible from the public realm, clearly identified, illuminated and have weather protection;
    • have a door with 300mm of clear space to the pull side and a clear minimum opening width of 1,000mm.
    • have level access over the threshold and a level external landing in front with space to turn a wheelchair clear of any door swing.

Shared circulation

  • In all new residential development the number of dwellings accessed from a single core must not be more than eight on each floor where feasible; a smaller number is preferable.
  • Common/shared entrances should lead to a hall large enough for people to manoeuvre with shopping and/or baby buggies, and in wheelchairs, with ease.
  • All dwellings should be provided with step-free or lift access.
  • Communal circulation corridors should be a minimum of 1,200mm wide, the preferred width is 1,500mm. Where they have an unobstructed width of less than 1,500mm, communal corridors should have wheelchair turning spaces at reasonable intervals.
  • Access cores must provide an access control system, with entry phones in all dwellings linked to a main front door with remote electronic lock release.

Circulation in new homes

  • The width of front doors to dwellings, internal doors and hallways should conform to the specifications set out in the Accessible Housing in Islington SPD and the London Housing SPG.
  • The design of dwellings over more than one-storey is required to provide space for (a) provision of a stair lift, and (b) a suitably identified space for a through-the-floor lift from the entrance level.
  • Space for turning a wheelchair shall be provided in living rooms, dining rooms and in at least one bedroom.

For more information please see the Islington Development Management Policies