Carlisle District Local Plan.indd - Carlisle City Council

Carlisle District Local Plan 2001 - 2016 Revised Redeposit draftin the area around Warwick Road to Botchergate, including Chatsworth Square. The CityCouncil recognises that the need for HMOs will continue to increase in the future as aresult of the rising student population in Carlisle. The City Council has introduced anAccreditation Scheme for ‘shared houses’ which lists smaller privately rented propertiesthat have been inspected and which meet the required standard. This policy is thereforenecessary to ensure that proper environmental standards are achieved and local amenityis not adversely affected.5.64 There are a number of unauthorised houses converted to bed sitting rooms andenforcement actions will be taken where appropriate. Where residential amenity and/or thecharacter of the area are being adversely affected by these unauthorised uses, permissionwill not be given.viable alternative to family occupation and help prevent decay of olderproperty.Insert new paragraphCertain areas within Carlisle already have a number of large houses that have beensubdivided. It is considered that the contribution that these buildings make to the streetscene is of sufficient import to prevent them from further subdivision. In particularChatsworth Square and Portland Square are of significant character and the nature of thelocality would merit reinstatement of individual residences.POLICY H13 Special Needs HousingProposals which relate to special or particular housing needs (e.g. the elderly, mentallyand physically disabled, the homeless etc) will be acceptable, provided that:1. they are consistent with other policies of the Plan ; and2. the City Council are satisfied there is a need which is not being met elsewhere;and3. the site is appropriate for that need.5.65 Within today’s society, there are several groups of people with specific housing needs. Thenumber of elderly will continue to increase during the Plan period and a proportion ofthese elderly people will require specialised accommodation. Likewise, there is a growingawareness that mentally and physically disabled people require special or modified livingaccommodation. The needs of these particular groups, detailed in the Community CarePlan, a joint document prepared by the Health Authority, Cumbria Social Services and theCity Council, require consideration and the provision of special facilities for them shouldbe encouraged. Provision of accommodation for these groups will usually be within PrimaryResidential Areas, or other settlements and be close to shops and other facilities.5.66 The first criterion of the policy refers to the need for consistency with other policies of thePlan. This encompasses a wide range of policies including the need to be consistent withother housing policies of the Plan as well as any environmental protection policies whichmay be relevant. Development which is contrary to these will not be permitted.5.67 A better option than continually adapting houses to different needs is the construction oflifetime homes. These are new dwellings built to a standard that can cater for residentsthroughout their lifetime. Currently there is no direct requirement to provide a proportionof lifetime homes through the planning system, but during the Plan period the increasein need for this type of dwelling may indicate a need to include such dwellings in largerdevelopments.86 September 2006