The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) have welcomed the Government’s ‘National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society’.

The strategy sets out the challenge that of the increase in the total number of households by 2026, older people will account for almost half (48%).
Gideon Amos, TCPA’s chief executive, said: “ To tackle the growth in households sustainably we must positively plan for housing that reflects the needs, aspirations and changing lifestyles of all of us. Through improved prosperity, healthcare and technology we are all living longer and planning has a vital role in ensuring that older people have access to good quality housing, helping them remain independent, comfortable, and confident and secure in their homes. This important National Strategy highlights that housing in an ageing society is a priority for all of us. ”

Commissioned by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to carry out a study of the criteria for new eco-towns, the TCPA is providing practical advice to Housing Minister Caroline Flint and DCLG, who are promoting the eco-towns initiative as part of the drive to create more affordable homes set in communities that are sustainable in environmental, social and economic terms.