Housing Quality and the Provision of Accessible Homes

This paper describes and evaluates the reactions and responses of house-builders in England and Wales to government regulation concerning disabled people's physical access to new housing. The paper begins by discussing the role and relevance of government regulation in addressing issues of housing quality and, in particular, the housing needs of disabled people. Then, referring to postal survey and interview data, the impact and implications of Part M of the building regulations, set up to ensure a degree of access for disabled people to new housing, is assessed. The paper concludes by discussing different ways in which housing policy ought to address the concerns of housebuilders in relation to Part M while, simultaneously, addressing the, as yet, unmet needs of disabled people for good quality, accessible, housing.