Accommodation Types

Different types of accommodation other than self-contained housing for general needs are classified as follows:

1.0  Shared Accommodation - accommodation predominantly for single persons, which includes a degree of sharing between tenants of some facilities (e.g., kitchen, bathrooms, living room) and may include an element of support and/or additional communal facilities.

2.0  Supported Housing - accommodation, which may be either shared or self-contained, designed to meet the needs of particular user groups (see Supported Housing) requiring intensive housing management and may also include additional communal facilities.

3.0  Accommodation for Wheelchair Users - accommodation, which may be either shared or self-contained, designed for independent living by people with a physical disability and wheelchair users. Where such accommodation is incorporated within schemes containing communal facilities, these facilities must be wheelchair accessible.

4.0  Communal Facilities - ancillary communal accommodation, the full range of which comprises:

5.1  Housing Mix for Self-Contained Accommodation for the Elderly - in schemes specifically designed for the elderly, NIHE (DPG) will accept a housing mix for self-contained Category 1 and Category 2 accommodation within the following parameters:

(a)  Category 1 (bungalows and flats): Subject to no more than 25% of all flats or bungalows being 2-person/2-bedroom units, Category 1 units may be provided as:

[Note: 3-person/2-bedroom bungalow or flat provision will not attract the supplementary multiplier for common room and or associated communal facilities.]

(b)  Category 2 Flats (and Category 1 flats where a resident or non-resident warden is linked directly to the scheme): Subject to no more than 25% of all flats being 2-person/2-bedroom units, Category 2 units may be provided as:

Note: This housing mix would also include small (Category 2) type schemes where a block of up to 15 flats may be provided to full Category 2 requirements including common room and associated communal facilities, but with the exception that a resident scheme supervisor need not be provided. However, a part-time resident or non-resident supervisor must be linked directly to the scheme. [Note: the scheme being linked to a central emergency alarm facility would not satisfy the requirement for a ‘part-time, non-resident scheme supervisor’].

Associations should proceed on the basis of the above parameters. Where an Association wishes to modify the above criteria a detailed case must be made to the NIHE (DPG) at the earliest possible opportunity.

6.0  Bungalow & Single Storey Provision - Associations should note that with effect from 1st April 2007 restrictions were applied to bungalow and single storey development in social housing provision. Generally, residential building land is in short supply and expensive. As bungalow/single storey provision is wasteful in land use required compared to other forms of development, in future it will only be grant-aided in very exceptional circumstances, e.g., where the Association can demonstrate that an alternative design solution would not be appropriate for the need or where specific planning restrictions apply.

There is also the need generally to provide higher density development in all schemes in order to maximise the potential of the site and to ensure that schemes are economical, efficient and sustainable. Further information on Density & Housing/Planning Issues