Specialised Housing

Specialised Housing Policies within this section contribute to achieving the following Strategic Objectives: SO2. Delivering homes that meet the needs of all our communities SO8. Improving the quality of life of our communities 5.3.1 Meeting the housing needs of South Warwickshire is not only about ensuring we provide enough housing for our communities, but also that the homes we build meet their needs. Whilst most new housing will cater for the general needs of the population; some residents will have more diverse requirements that are best met through Specialised Housing options. Policy HO.6 Specialised Housing A. Principles Schemes that provide, or incorporate, specialised housing and are located in accordance with the Spatial Growth Strategy set out within this Plan will be supported provided all the following criteria are met: 1. The accommodation proposed contributes to meeting identified needs within South Warwickshire and to the maintenance of a balanced housing stock in the locality. In this respect, regard will be had to any relevant requirements or strategies arising from the provisions of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. 2. The proposal relates well to the host settlement and provides easy access to services and facilities, including public transport and healthcare services, enabling its residents to live independently as part of the community. 3. The design of the proposal in terms of both individual units of accommodation and communal facilities is demonstrably capable of meeting the specialised care and/or support needs of its intended residents. 4. Robust arrangements are put in place to ensure the delivery of any necessary scheme features and its appropriate management in such a way as to ensure the care and/or support needs of occupiers are met. Proposals that do not meet all the criteria will not be supported. The size mix on any specialist housing scheme should have regard to the latest available evidence, including the Supported Housing Strategy once adopted, and the requirements of the intended occupiers. B. Affordable Housing on Older Persons Housing Schemes Affordable housing provision will be required as follows: Age-restricted general market housing In accordance with Policy HO.3 Retirement living or sheltered housing (housing with support) 37% affordable housing, subject to viability Extra care housing or housing-with-care (housing with care) 21% affordable housing, , subject to viability Residential care homes and nursing homes (care bedspaces) No affordable housing The tenures of the affordable units should have regard to the latest available evidence, including the Supported Housing Strategies once adopted and the affordability for the intended occupiers. C. Affordable Housing on All Other Supported Housing Schemes Affordable housing provision will be required as follows: All forms where independent units of accommodation are provided In accordance with Policy HO.3 All forms where bedspaces are provided No affordable housing The tenures of the affordable units should have regard to the latest available evidence, including the Supported Housing Strategies once adopted and the affordability for the intended occupiers. HO.6 Development Management Considerations The policy is not prescriptive as to the specific types or numbers of Specialised Housing schemes that may or should be provided but rather provides a positive set of criteria within which proposals can be considered against. In relation to Part A1 of the Policy ~ The first criterion requires proposals to meet an identified need. The Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA 2026), produced as part of the evidence base for this local plan, provides a detailed assessment of specialised housing need, however due to the range of possible housing solutions that may be proposed under this policy and as evidence is updated as explained above, the Local Planning Authority will consider alternative sources of evidence to demonstrate need providing they are sufficiently detailed, up to date and reliable. The Local Planning Authority will also consider the prevalence of similar accommodation in the surrounding area when assessing the need for the accommodation and to ensure a balanced housing supply. In relation to Part A2 of the Policy ~ In respect of the locational requirements of specialised housing, proposals will be expected to be sited in places where access is possible by a range of transport methods and easy access is available to services. This is important not only for residents, but also any support staff or visitors who may need to attend sites at any time of day and in all weathers. The locational requirements for specific proposals may however vary depending on their intended occupiers and therefore the suitability of a location must be justified in any application. Easy access in the context of this policy means both physical access and also that services have capacity to meet the needs of residents. In relation to Part A3 of the Policy ~ The design of Specialised Housing must reflect the needs of the intended occupiers. Again, due to the wide range of Specialised Housing it is impractical to provide design expectations within the policy, instead applicants should explain how schemes accommodate the requirements of their intended users and the Local Planning Authority will work with relevant parties, such as the County Council, to assess the suitability of proposals. In relation to Part A4 of the Policy ~ As well as the location and design of proposals, it is important that the long-term management and support provision incorporated into any scheme is explained in detail as part of any application, along with how the accommodation will be allocated to residents. Depending on the nature of a proposal, the allocation, management and support provision may need to be controlled by planning condition or S106 agreement. In respect of affordable housing provision it is expected that where schemes provide independent units of accommodation with their own front door, kitchen and living space, the scheme should contribute towards affordable housing. On this basis where schemes provide individual rooms, such as in nursing homes, affordable housing provision is not expected. Affordable housing delivered under this policy should ordinarily be delivered on-site. However, where there are significant practical challenges to delivering affordable units on-site and evidence of this is provided, off-site delivery or a financial contribution will be considered. Early engagement with Officers is recommended to establish the requirements for a specific scheme. The Local Planning Authority may accept affordable provision in the form of specialist supported housing in lieu of general needs affordable housing where this is justified by the latest evidence of need, including the Supported Housing Strategies. In considering such proposals regard will be had to the scale and type of identified need the suitability of the site the intended occupier group, the proposed tenure and management arrangements and the overall deliverability of the development. Where reduced levels of affordable housing is proposed, applications will need to be accompanied by a robust viability assessment that will be subject to independent verification. Policy Justification 5.3.2 Specialised Housing is accommodation that, through its location, design and management, meets or has the flexibility to meet, the needs of vulnerable people and households, whilst promoting and supporting their ability to continue to live independently as far as possible. This includes accommodation: • For people of all ages, but especially older people, which supports their ability to continue to live independently but also incorporates flexible provision to meet their care needs. • For people of all ages who require accommodation within schemes designed and managed to cater for their specific support needs. 5.3.3 The most common form of Specialised Housing is accommodation for older people. There are different types of housing for older people to cater for different needs, as follows10: • Age-restricted general market housing: Generally, for people aged 55 and over and the active elderly. It may include some shared amenities such as communal gardens but does not include support or care services. • Retirement living or sheltered housing (housing with support): This usually consists of purpose-built flats or bungalows with limited communal facilities such as a lounge, laundry room and guest room. It does not generally provide care services but provides some support to enable residents to live independently. This can include 24-hour on-site assistance (alarm) and a warden or house manager. • Extra care housing or housing-with-care (housing with care): This usually consists of purpose-built or adapted flats or bungalows with a medium to high level of care available if required, through an onsite care agency registered through the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Residents are able to live 10 Extract from SHMA 2026 independently with 24-hour access to support services and staff, and meals are also available. There are often extensive communal areas, such as space to socialise or a wellbeing centre. In some cases, these developments are known as retirement communities or villages - the intention is for residents to benefit from varying levels of care as time progresses. • Residential care homes and nursing homes (care bedspaces): These have individual rooms within a residential building and provide a high level of care meeting all activities of daily living. They do not usually include support services for independent living. This type of housing can also include dementia care homes. 5.3.4 The Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA 2026) identified that the proportion of residents aged 65 and over is 19% in Warwick District and 25.4% in Stratford District. This compares to 18.7% for England as a whole. Between 2025-50 the population aged 65 and over is projected to increase by around 53% in Stratford- on-Avon and 43% in Warwick. In contrast the population aged under 65 is projected to see growth of between 26% and 28% over the same period. Given the ageing population and the current supply of older persons accommodation, the SHMA identified a need for more units of all types of older persons accommodation in both Stratford and Warwick district by 2050 as shown in Figure 18. Figure18: Older Persons Housing Stratford-on- Avon Warwick Total Housing with support Market 1,489 787 2,276 Affordable 906 410 1,316 Total (housing with support) 2,395 1,197 3,592 Housing with care Market 612 459 1,071 Affordable 212 79 291 Total (housing with care) 823 538 1,361 Residential care bedspaces 667 292 959 Nursing care bedspaces 471 278 749 Total bedspaces 1,138 569 1,707 Specialist Housing Need for Older Persons, 2025-50 (SHMA 2026) 5.3.5 In addition to housing for older people, Specialised Housing includes accommodation for those with physical or mental impairment including people with ambulatory difficulties, blindness, learning difficulties and mental health needs. Specialised Housing also extends to housing for children in care, those experiencing or at risk of domestic abuse, those with drug or alcohol dependencies and homeless households. Accommodation may be intended as short term housing to help people overcome challenges or more permanent arrangements where longer-term support is required. 5.3.6 Given the very broad range of accommodation that falls within the term Specialised Housing, this policy is designed to act as a framework to assess the range of proposals that may come forward. Further, the Plan covers the period to 2050, and it is reasonable to assume that during this period: • new or updated evidence will emerge on the scale and nature of need for Supported Housing; • there will be changes to market conditions, national and local priorities and policies, and preferred delivery models of different categories of specialised housing. 5.3.7 Changes can sometimes happen at short notice and relate to matters which may not directly fall within the scope of the planning system, but which may have significant impacts for the way in which Specialised Housing is delivered. It is also important to consider implications arising from implementation of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. 5.3.8 The SHMA calculated different levels of need for affordable older persons housing depending on t