National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability 2011 - 2016

Table 8.1:Accessible Housing TerminologyUniversal Design 49Accessible HousingInclusive DesignThe design and composition of an environment so that it canbe accessed, understood and used to the greatest extentpossible by all people, regardless of their age, size or disability(Centre for Excellence in Universal Design).Housing which is accessible for people with physical and/orsensory disabilities to live in. This may be a purpose built newdwelling or a dwelling that is modified to suit the needs of theuser.The design of mainstream products and / or services that areaccessible to, and usable by, as many people as reasonablypossible without the need for special adaptation or specialiseddesign (British Standards Institute 2005).Visitable Housing 50Lifetime Homes 51Housing in which a person with a physical disability canindependently enter the house, go to the main habitablerooms, and use a toilet.Lifetime Homes Standard seeks to enable ‘general needs’housing to provide, either from the outset or through simpleand cost effective adaptation, design solutions that meet theexisting and changing needs of diverse households.Wheelchair AccessibleHousingWheelchair accessible design has additional space in all livingareas, generally ground floor, to allow a person who hassignificant mobility impairment to move around easily and useall living areas of a home. Lifetime homes are not necessarilywheelchair accessible, however, many wheelchair users willfind lifetime homes easier to live in or visit. In the UK separatewheelchair-users’ housing standards have been developed bythe Habinteg Housing Association, through funding from theJoseph Rowntree Association. Design guidance has also beendeveloped in Ireland by the IWA and the AOTI.49The Disability Act 2005 defines ‘universal design’— (a) means the design and composition of an environmentso that it may be accessed, understood and used— (i) to the greatest practicable extent, (ii) in the mostindependent and natural manner possible, (iii) in the widest possible range of situations, and (iv) without theneed for adaptation, modification, assistive devices or specialised solutions, by persons of any age or size orhaving any particular physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual ability or disability, and (b) means, inrelation to electronic systems, any electronics-based process of creating products, services or systems so thatthey may be used by any person.50As provided for in Part M of the Building Regulations and associated technical guidance, TGD M.51www.lifetimehomes.org.uk81