Launched at a public event at the People’s History Museum, the guide outlines how the region can adapt to an ageing population in designing and building new residential developments, with ideas ranging from intergenerational playgrounds and buddy benches, to easier navigation for people with dementia and strengthening a sense of security through design.

Called ‘Creating age-friendly developments’ and intended for planners, policymakers, architects and developers, the guide has been created by researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University with the GM Housing Planning and Ageing group (GMHPA), a multi-agency partnership brought together by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) GM Ageing Hub.

Rather than focusing solely on issues of physical accessibility, the guide considers a range of aspirations of older people, and highlights opportunities for wellbeing, physical activity, and socialisation in the home and wider neighbourhood.

This could include intergenerational playgrounds that recognise the role many older people have in caring for grandchildren and the physical and wellbeing benefits from play; measures to reduce negative noise impacts in the home for those with sensory issues or living with dementia; and the inclusion of social seating to help combat loneliness.

Co-author of the report Dr Mark Hammond, senior lecturer from the University’s Manchester School of Architecture, said: “Our growing and increasingly diverse older population offers significant opportunities for innovation in the housing sector. While specialist housing, including extra-care or retirement villages, might be part of the mix, the aim of the work I’ve been doing with the GM Ageing Hub has been around mainstreaming ageing within residential development, recognising that all new housing should be age-inclusive.

“This guide aims to provide clearer steps for planners, developers and designers to fulfil these aims, but we also hope it will encourage more people to join the growing community of practice we have between policymakers, academics and professionals around housing and ageing in Greater Manchester.”

Councillor Arooj Shah, GMCA lead for equalities and communities, said: “As our population across Greater Manchester, and nationally, is ageing rapidly, it’s so important that our homes and communities reflect these changes and are fit for the future.

“This means making sure new neighbourhoods are accessible, welcoming, and built with the needs of older people and their families in mind. That’s why, here in Greater Manchester, we’re putting this new guide in place, to set out the practical considerations that planners, architects and housebuilders should consider when creating new developments.”

Put into practice

The guide has already been adopted by residential developer and operator Picture This, with its principles implemented by planning and design teams working on the latest developments. 

Shannon Conway, co-founder at Picture This and a member of GMHPA, said: “The document provides a straightforward guide to how age-friendly principles can be incorporated throughout our Picture This developments. For an upcoming scheme in Stockport town centre, we worked through the guide with our planning and design teams. Not only were the ideas and suggestions within the guide useful but it also prompted more thoughts on how our developments can be made more inclusive.”

The guide builds on more than a decade of policy- and practice-engaged research from the Design for Life research group at the Manchester School of Architecture, led by Prof Stefan White and Dr Hammond.

This includes practitioner-focused guides, such as ‘A design for life’, which outlines examples of best practice around ageing and design; policy-engaged research, such as the ‘Finding the right place to grow older’ report calling for more responsive housing choices; research-based design consultancy to support regeneration plans, including the North Manchester General Hospital redevelopment; and on-the-ground participatory research programmes, such as the Ageing In Place Pathfinder in partnership with GMCA.