Policy information sourced from the Islington Local Plan

H7 Meeting the needs of vulnerable older people

  • The need for accommodation for older people will be met primarily through delivery of conventional residential accommodation designed to be adaptable to changing needs over time. Different levels of care may be delivered in conventional accommodation which means there is likely to be a lesser need for certain specialist forms of older persons housing, in particular market extra care housing.
  • There is some local need for affordable one and two-bed extra-care units. This specific type of specialist older persons accommodation may be acceptable on certain schemes, but only where the Council’s Adult Social Care service consider that the proposed accommodation would meet a defined need.
  • Specialist C3 and non-C3 older peoples residential accommodation such as care homes and extra care facilities will only be suitable where:
    1. there is evidence of local unmet need for specialist older people accommodation, or it would contribute to meeting the London Plan benchmark figure of 900 dwellings over the plan period;
    2. affordable housing is provided in line with Policy H3;
    3. it has adequately considered and addressed all design issues in Part D or Part E to ensure the accommodation is suitable for the intended occupiers;
    4. it provides the necessary level of supervision, management and care/support, which is secured in a legal agreement;
    5. it is easily accessible to public transport, shops, services and community facilities appropriate to the needs of the intended occupiers; and
    6. it constitutes a suitable use for the site considering the surrounding neighbourhood, potential for development of other priority land uses and its contribution to mixed and balanced communities.
  • Extra care proposals will be usually classed as a C3 use. Such proposals must demonstrate that the following design issues have been considered and addressed to ensure the accommodation is suitable for the intended occupiers:
    1. The proposal is for provision of self-contained units (or at least en-suite private rooms which meet or exceed minimum space standards) which addresses other requirements for private internal space;
    2. There is appropriate privacy of internal spaces in the building for relevant groups, namely residents and any staff accommodation/rooms;
    3. Appropriate bathrooms, kitchen/laundry facilities and appropriate rooms for activities/therapy/community use are provided;
    4. Appropriate wheelchair accessibility is provided in line with Policy H4;
    5. Good quality guest and/or staff accommodation (where appropriate) is provided in line with minimum space standards, with sufficient storage space and facilities for visitors and staff;
    6. Servicing access and a safe drop off point is within 50m of the main entrance in line with Policy H4; and
    7. Provision of suitable charging points for mobility scooters is included on-site with a minimum standard of secure scooter storage and charging facilities equivalent to 25% of dwellings.
  • Care homes must demonstrate that the following design issues have been considered and addressed to ensure the accommodation is suitable for the intended occupiers:
    1. There is appropriate privacy of internal spaces in the building for relevant groups, namely residents and staff;
    2. 100% of all habitable rooms are wheelchair accessible;
    3. Accommodation is provided in line with relevant design guidance and best practice standards;
    4. Servicing access and a safe drop off point is provided within 50m of the main entrance. This must be appropriate for ambulance/mini bus drop-off; and
    5. Provision of accessible communal outdoor space for use by residents, staff and visitors of a good quality and which is designed – in terms of its shape, position and location within development proposals – to ensure a good level of amenity with regard to daylight and sunlight, noise, enclosure, overlooking, privacy and security.
  • The Council will resist development which involves the loss of floorspace in specialist older peoples accommodation unless:
    1. adequate replacement on-site accommodation will be provided that satisfies Part D or Part E; or
    2. adequate replacement accommodation is provided elsewhere in the borough that satisfies Part D or Part E; or
    3. the applicant can robustly demonstrate that there is a surplus over a long-term of this housing type in Islington; and it can be demonstrated that the existing accommodation is unsatisfactory for modern standards and/or not fit for purpose.

For more information please see the Islington Local Plan