Policy information sourced from the Mole Valley Local Plan

H6: HOUSING FOR OLDER PERSONS AND SPECIALIST HOUSING

New Housing for Older Persons and Specialist Housing
1. New developments providing specialist forms of accommodation for older people and for people with other specific needs will be supported, provided the following requirements are met:

  • The site should be well-connected in terms of access to shops, community facilities including health care, public transport and other services appropriate to the needs of future occupiers;
  • Developments should achieve, as a minimum, the standards of accessibility set out in Policy H10 and, for specialist older people’s housing and specialist housing likely to be by occupied people with mobility difficulties, appropriate areas should meet wheelchair user standards;
  • Developments should provide appropriate indoor and outdoor amenity space as communal areas for socialising;
  • Developments should provide safe storage and charging facilities for residents’ mobility scooters, in addition to pick up and drop off facilities close to the principal entrance suitable for taxis, minibuses and ambulances;
  • Developments should be designed to meet any of the other needs of the client group;
  • Developments providing older persons’ housing should deliver the level of affordable housing required by Policy H3; and,
  • Developments including specialist accommodation for older people or people with disabilities (with or without care) will not be subject to the housing mix requirements set out under Policy H9

Extensions to Housing for Older People and Specialist Housing
2. Proposals for extensions and/or annexes to existing specialist forms of accommodation for older people and for people with other specific needs will be supported where the proposal:

  • Respects the established character of the local area, is not overbearing or of a form that would be detrimental to the amenity of neighbouring residents and is sub-servient to the existing building;
  • Is able to demonstrate the need and function of the annex or extension; and,
  • Is in accordance with other relevant policies of the Local Plan, including Green Belt policy and policy for the Countryside beyond the Green Belt. In both cases, the development should not result in disproportionate additions over and above the size of the original building

Loss of Housing for Older People and Specialist Housing
3. The loss of existing specialist forms of accommodation for older people and for people with other specific needs will be resisted unless it is demonstrated to the Council’s satisfaction that:

  • There is adequate alternative provision provided locally;
  • There is no longer a need for the housing; or,
  • The accommodation no longer meets the minimum standards required for an acceptable quality of support and/or care and it is not practicable for the accommodation’s standards to be updated or for the accommodation to be adapted for alternative specialist accommodation

For more information please see the Mole Valley Local Plan