Longhurst Group joins call for change in accessible housing law

Longhurst Group is proud to be among a group of organisations calling for a change in the law around accessible housing.

We’re among more than 15 fellow housing associations and trade bodies to have made a joint submission that urges the Government to introduce the M4 Category 2 – similar to the Lifetime Homes Standard – as the regulatory baseline standard for all new homes in England.

Our call comes in response to a Government-led consultation on improving the accessibility standards for new homes.

All organisations involved in the submission are members of Harry’s Pledge, a campaign which calls on the housing sector to make a number of commitments to support disabled people and their families, including the provision of more fully-accessible homes.

Longhurst Group’s Chief Executive, Julie Doyle said: “I’m incredibly passionate about the need for accessibility to be designed-in to the homes we provide.

I think it’s incumbent on us to look at the design of our properties and take long-term, lifelong accessibility into account, both in the new-build homes we provide and our current stock.

“As well as helping people to live more independent lives and enjoying better mental and physical wellbeing, designing better, more accessible homes from the start is also so much more cost effective than adding aids and undertaking major adaptations further down the line.

It's the sensible thing to do but, more importantly, with an ageing population and consequently more people needing this kind of support, it’s the right thing to do as well.

“That’s why I’m delighted that we’re part of this joint submission alongside other supporters of Harry’s Pledge.”

Click here for more information on Harry’s Pledge and the commitments we and other supporters have made.