Thousands more homes needed in Herts for over-75s by 2042

HERTFORDSHIRE will need thousands more homes dedicated to the care of older people within 20 years if it is to meet the needs of the county’s ageing population, councillors have been told.

Estimates based on the county’s existing population suggest there will be 55,000 MORE over-75s living in Hertfordshire by 2042 than in 2022.

And that, councillors have been told, will impact on the types of housing that will be required.

There will, according to the estimates, be a need for 8000 additional ‘retirement’ or ‘sheltered’ living units in the county.

There will also be a need for 8000 more ‘extra care’ housing units, as well as a further 3500 more nursing care bedspaces.

The data is based on modelling that has been carried out on behalf of the county council’s adult care services.

And it was reported to a meeting of the council’s sustainable economic growth cabinet panel on Monday (September 11).

The modelling work – which will be updated by the council in line with new evidence or population data – is designed to align adult care service needs with the planning system.

And at the meeting councillors were told that it could ultimately be used by planning authorities to directly impact on the delivery of housing for older people – by making provision for older people a requirement.

According to the written report presented to the panel developers have tended to focus on the ‘higher’ end of the market.

But, it says, the ‘robust’ evidence in the modelling could be used to identify ‘policy requirements that could, in turn, force market housing developers to deliver market and affordable older people’s housing and housing for adults with disabilities when they bring market housing schemes forward’.

And this, says the report, could ‘work in much the same way as requiring affordable housing when schemes come forward’.