HOUSING STANDARDS UPDATE 2015

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

@PRP_News Contact
#HousingStandards Andy von Bradsky, Chairman John Chapman, Director
t. 020 7653 3424 m. 07850 102 165 t. 020 7653 3490 m. 07802 234 882
andy.vonbradsky@prparchitects.co.uk john.chapman@prparchitects.co.uk

ALL CHANGE OUT ALL CHANGE IN

GONE CHANGES TO CURRENT REGULATIONS
Code for Sustainable Homes
Design and Quality Standards
M ACCESSIBILTY 1 2 3
Baseline regulation for Category 1 (Part M), Category 2 (version of LTHs)
and Category 3 (wheelchair standards). LAs opt-in and apply by
condition subject to need and viability assessment.
NO OTHER TECHNICAL STANDARDS
Lifetime Homes Design Guide
G WATER
1 2
Baseline regulation (Part G) at current 125 litres/person/day. Optional
higher standard of 110 l/p/d in water stressed areas through LA opt-in.

Wheelchair Housing Design Guide H WASTE Amended regulation (Part H); additional measures with guidance on
waste storage to tackle bin-blight.
Secured by Design: New Homes
PLANNING STANDARDS SAFE
L ENERGY Amended regulation (Part L); Zero Carbon with allowable solutions by
2016. Allowable solutions to be defined.

Building for Life 12 NEW REGULATION

BEING REVISED Q SECURITY New baseline regulation (Part Q) for security of building envelope;
doors and windows (PAS 24).

London Design Standards: Housing SPG NEW PLANNING STANDARD

NdSS SPACE Nationally described Space Standard for England (incl. GLA); new single
level space standard, cross- tenure. LAs opt-in and apply by condition
subject to need and viability assessment.
Chart Courtesy of Levitt Bernstein

ACCESSIBILITY
APPROVED DOCUMENT PART M APPROVED DOCUMENT PART M4 (3)
CATEGORY 3: WHEELCHAIR USER DWELLINGS
3 new optional requirements set by LA at planning
stage. Dwellings must meet the requirements of M4(1) Optional Requirement;
unless a condition is imposed to meet the Provides a distinction between wheelchair
requirements of M4(2) or M4(3). adaptable dwellings (those which are constructed
with the potential to be adapted for occupation by a
APPROVED DOCUMENT PART M4 (1) wheelchair user) and wheelchair accessible dwellings
CATEGORY 1: VISITABLE DWELLINGS
(those which are constructed for immediate
No change to the technical requirements of existing occupation by a wheelchair user).
AD Part M, Sections 6 -10.
Minimum hall or landing width 1050mm;
APPROVED DOCUMENT PART M4 (2) Minimum door width 850mm, irrespective of the
CATEGORY 2: ACCESSIBLE direction of entry;
AND ADAPTABLE DWELLINGS
Minimum areas of general built-in storage to be
Optional Requirement provided based on number of bedrooms;
Broadly equivalent to the LTH Standard, however: Minimum combined floor areas for living/dining/
- step-free access required to dwelling; kitchen space;
- no requirement for a through-floor-lift, hoist, Minimum length of kitchen worktop;
temporary bed space at entrance level or
turning circles in living or dining spaces; Different clear approach zones around items of
- stair width minimum 850mm; sanitaryware specified for wheelchair adaptable/
- modified wc approach zone; wheelchair accessible dwellings and situations.
 WATER APPROVED DOCUMENT PART G SECURITY APPROVED DOCUMENT PART Q
Revised document New document
Calculated water use to be no more than 125 litres Focuses on security standards for doors and
per person per day; windows only, to meet BS PAS 24:2012.
Optional requirement of 110 litres per person Doors and windows that demonstrate compliance
per day imposed by planning requirement where with Secured by Design provisions will also
there is a local need. meet AD Part Q.
Future of SbD New Homes 2014 unclear as cannot
WASTE APPROVED DOCUMENT PART H be mandated by Local Authorities.
Revised document
Amended in an attempt to tackle bin blight
through design;
Will also apply where a dwelling is provided
through a material change of use;
Guidance on recycling in BS5906:2005;
Guidance in Avoiding rubbish design (NHBC)

SPACE NEW NATIONALLY DESCRIBED

SPACE STANDARD (NdSS)

Flats or other one storey units Houses or other two storey units

Sets out minimum Gross Internal Areas
for new dwellings
Applicable where a condition, which is derived
from a policy within a local plan, is applied to a
planning permission, subject to ensuring that
viability is not affected;
Applies across all tenures across England;
Responsibility for compliance, and subsequent
enforcement, will rest with LPA;
Ceiling height to be 2.3m minimum for at
least 75% of the Gross Internal Area
Single bedrooms to have a floor area of at least
7.5m2 and be at least 2.15m wide;
Double (or twin bedroom) to have a floor area
of at least 11.5m2;
One double (or twin bedroom) to be at least
2.75m wide and every other double (or twin)
bedroom to be at least 2.55m wide.

STANDARDS IN LONDON SPECIALIST HOUSING

The GLA has issued Housing Standards Minor Generally falls somewhere between Category 2
Alteration to the London Plan draft for consultation and Category 3 in terms of accessibility
to pick up the changes; Category of accessibility (determined by planning
A revised, finalised Housing Supplementary Planning condition) will be critical
Guidance will be issued in September Clients briefs will determine standards.
A revised version of the Housing Design Guide,
badged as a Best Practice Guidance Document,
may be published to support the SPG;
The SPG and Guidance will be mandatory for
all 33 Boroughs;
The SPG strongly encourages a 2.5m ceiling height
but does not require it;
Boroughs that have existing plans to exceed CfSH*4
energy targets will be supported by the GLA.
ENERGY PERFORMANCE
Local Authorities can continue to set and apply energy
performance standards for new homes that exceeds
current Building Regulations until 1 October 2016;
Local Authorities are not expected to require
energy performance above that required by
Code Level 4 (19% CO2 emission reduction on
Part L 2013) in the period up to October 2016;
GLA consulting on including 35% CO2 emission
reduction on Part L 2013 in London Plan
Where local plans require decentralised energy
to be considered in accordance with the NPPF
this will be maintained;
Planning and Energy Act 2008 requirements no
longer from October 2016; proportion of energy
from LZC sources or energy efficiency above
Building Regulations.
PART L 2016 & ZERO CARBON
Part L 2016 from 1 October 2016 as proposed,
more likely 1 April 2017
Fabric Energy Efficiency standards very likely
to require enhanced junction detailing
On-site energy performance FEES and Carbon
Compliance - Code 4 equivalent
Allowable solutions not yet fully defined but likely
to include offset payments.
CODE FOR SUSTAINABLE HOMES (CFSH)
WITHDRAWN FROM THE END OF MARCH 2015
From the end of March, only existing planning
consents can be assessed under it
Local Authorities can no longer stipulate
in planning policy that Code assessments
are required (local plans will need to
be changed by 01/10/2015)
Code assessments can still be
registered for legacy projects
but this will be time limited
New voluntary sustainability
assessment methods from
1 October 2015.

APPLICATION Pre-application discussions to ensure policy

Local Authority to review requirements appropriateto site specific application
and amend Local Plans LPA imposes conditions on planning permission
Optional Requirements / Space Standard embedded Developer informs Building Control of conditions
in Local Plan subject to need and viability tests
BCO manages compliance and informs LPA.
HOUSING STANDARDS REVIEW
AND PLANNING LINKAGES
STEPS TO SYSTEM

Issue approved
documents
and regs PROCESS

Local Plan Pre-application LPA imposes Developer informs BCB to carry out
includes optional discussions to ensure and informs the Building Control building control
National Criteria System comes
requirements policies, optional requirement developer in Body (BCB) of functions (approval
are published into operation
via EIP (based on is appropriate to writing of the applicable optional of plans, inspection
(inc viability)
national criteria test specific applications optional requirement requirement(s), if any and certification)
and viability) planning condition in normal way

Issue planning
written ministerial
statement
TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS Applications made before that date will be subject to
Changes to Building Regulations to come into force current requirements only as long as they commence
on 1st October 2015 work before 1st October 2016
Transitional arrangements in place until 30th
September 2015.

Planning Policy (Local Plans) Planning Policy (New applications)

Building Regulations

IMPLICATIONS

POSITIVES
Minimum standards for quality
and sustainability
A benchmark for quality space
standards
A level playing field tenure blind
Certainty in the supply chain
Enables innovation
Impact on growth and scale
LOST
Indoor Air quality - not addressed
in Part F
Materials - no green specification
Sound - should acoustic standards
be enhanced?
Ecology - planning matter;
requires guidance

FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES FOR RSLS

Partial Local Plan review and
review of local
information requirements
Evidenced need, impact on
viability and timing
for higher standards
Introduce space standard and
optional regulations
Pass-porting existing standards
Neighbourhood Plans
Implications for Design Guides
Building Control resources
RSLs should enhance Brief and
Employers Requirements
Default to National Space
Standard as a safeguard
Require furnished layouts
Decide on approach to zero
carbon
Consider forthcoming Allowable
Solutions costs
Consider if there are gaps in
specification, eg:
Internal layouts;
Daylighting;
Overheating;
Air quality/ventilation

FOR HOUSEBUILDERS FOR DESIGNERS

Review standard type plans for Decide on approach to zero Space standards for type plans Adaptable housing requirements
compliance carbon Room dimensions and Specification for security
Types that comply with National Consider forthcoming Allowable ceiling heights Waste storage arrangements
Space Standard Solutions costs Storage Likely Part L implications
Review specifications for: Category 2 housing step free
Security i.e. windows and doors access impact
Adaptable housing on 3 and 4 storey flats
Waste storage arrangements