New homes 'must cater for ageing'

[Barman]

Every new home built in England will have to be designed to suit an ageing population, under government plans.

Ministers want all new homes to include 16 features such as stairs wide enough for stairlifts, downstairs bathrooms, and room for wheelchairs to turn.

Source

I heard this on the wireless yesterday and I still can’t get my head around the concept…

What right is it of government to dictate now what our houses are like? Okay, set standards for insulation and efficiency but why get involved in house design and standards?

Perhaps years ago when the government (via local councils) owned vast amounts of the housing stock which were rented out – it might make sense for them to give themselves the greatest flexibility.

But these are privately funded homes.

Surely the market will decide what type of accommodation is needed and clever entrepreneurs will build appropriate houses.

My first house was a Barrats starter home – a one bed thing that I bought for £23K. I probably couldn’t have afforded it if it had had to meet all these ridiculous requirements and I certainly didn’t plan on living in it for the next forty years so I didn’t need a downstairs bathroom or a stair lift.

What is this shite?^© 

[Snoopy]

Every new home built in England will have to be designed to suit an aging population, under government plans.

Ministers want all new homes to include 16 features such as stairs wide enough for stairlifts, downstairs bathrooms, and room for wheelchairs to turn.

Source

I heard this on the wireless yesterday and I still can't get my head around the concept

What right is it of government to dictate now what our houses are like? Kay, set standards for insulation and efficiency but why get involved in house design and standards?

Perhaps years ago when the government (via local councils) owned vast amounts of the housing stock which were rented out – it might make sense for them to give themselves the greatest flexibility.

But these are privately funded homes.

Surely the market will decide what type of accommodation is needed and clever entrepreneurs will build appropriate houses.

My first house was a Barrats starter home – a one bed thing that I bought for £23K. I probably couldn't have afforded it if it had had to meet all these ridiculous requirements and I certainly didn't plan on living in it for the next forty years so I didn't need a downstairs bathroom or a stair lift.

What is this Shiite?^© 

It is called Social Engineering .... which is what Gordon & Co truly believe in.



To you and I, as well as most right thinking people, it goes under the heading of Governmental Meddling in our lives and it it the foretellable outcome of electing successive Labour Governments. Unfortunately the other parties now see that, to have any chance in an election, they too have to ape these clowns ..... just as Blair saw that he had to mimic Thatcher to get into office and only then very slowly reveal his true colours, so Cameron now treads the path of Socialism whilst pretending he isn't. So you are very unlikely to see any great opposition to these and many other policies. These "new" houses will cost much more and will not sell so the builders will look for cheaper, easier ways to get round them. Watch for a rash of applications for bungalow developments.

[Nick]

Exactly right. This is another nanny nonsense. In any case, the market will sort it out. Guys who invest in building housing aren't stupid - they know where their revenue will come from.

Equally I (age 53) and others of my generation will decide where we want to live in due course. And it won't be in this effing country!!

Bastards