After a 19-month wait, it was positive to finally read the government's recent confirmation that it will raise the mandatory accessibility standard for all new homes in England from M4(1) Category 1: visitable dwellings, to the currently optional M4(2) Category 2: accessible and adaptable dwellings standard.

CAE's message to local authorities is, don't wait for implementation - start arming yourself with knowledge about what is required to roll out M4(2) as the new baseline standard.

M4(1) versus M4(2)

So let's unpack the standards a little more. The M4(1) ‘visitable homes' standard offers some basic accessibility features such as door widths and corridors that are a suitable size for a range of people, including some wheelchair users. However, it does not guarantee the true visitability and adaptability that many households will need over their lifetimes, for example, level access into the home is not always provided.

Meanwhile, the M4(2) accessible and adaptable homes standard offers enhanced access features and benefits that will allow homes to be easily adaptable over not only the lifetime of the household, but over the lifetime of the home itself. It's an inclusive standard, catering for families with toddlers and buggies as well as people with reduced mobility, people dealing with a temporary impairment or visiting wheelchair users.

The Government's decision has come at a critical time. We know from Habinteg Housing Association's last forecast for accessible homes that, in 2020, more than 50% of all local plans made no requirements for any accessible housing standard (Habinteg: Forecast for Accessible Homes 2020). The forecast also indicated that between 2020 and 2030, 31.5% of new homes in England will be required to do so.

Get ahead of implementation

Although planners will no longer need to research local needs to make a case for M4(2) development, the status of the M4(3) wheelchair dwelling standard will not change. For now local authorities will still have to define a policy for M4(3) homes to meet the needs of wheelchair users.