GM Moving co-author new Age-Friendly Developments Guide

By GM Moving | 17 November 2023 | TAGS: healthy active places

An interdisciplinary Housing, Planning and Ageing Group, chaired by Greater Manchester Ageing Hub, has produced a Creating Age-Friendly Developments guide.

The guide’s been co-authored by Dr Mark Hammond and Kelly-Marie Rodgers, Strategic Lead - Healthy Active Places at GM Moving, in collaboration with the GM Housing Planning and Ageing group (GMHPA).

The GMHPA is a multi-agency partnership convened by the GM Ageing Hub at the GMCA with the aim of improving the quality and quantity of age-inclusive housing across the region.

The guide offers a list of age-friendly factors for architects, planners, and developers to consider when creating new or retrofit urban developments.

This includes how older people's voices should be included in the planning process, how neighbourhoods can support ageing in place, and features of age-friendly housing.

By providing guidance to industry professionals on how to be inclusive of people in mid to later life, the guide aims to help residents of our city-region age well for generations to come.

Shannon Conway, Co-founder of Picture This and member of Greater Manchester Housing, Planning and Ageing Group, said: 

“Many working in the property industry associate the term 'age-friendly' with specialist retirement and later living development.

“This document provides a straightforward guide with examples of how age-friendly principles can be incorporated throughout all our buildings and public realm, futureproofing our built environment for all-ages communities.”

Nakib Narat, Co-chair of Greater Manchester Older People’s Equality Panel, said: 

“Many older people spend a lot of time in or around their home and that means it is essential to make sure all of our neighbourhoods and communities are age-friendly.

“To do this, it is vitally important that the voices of older people are at the centre of every place across Greater Manchester, we know these places and our contributions should be valued and celebrated.”

Councillor Arooj Shah, GMCA lead for Equalities and Communities, said:

“We cannot ignore the fact that our population is ageing and action needs to be taken to ensure that Greater Manchester is accessible and welcoming to people of all ages.

“Our homes and communities are of increased importance to us as we grow older, so it is vital that we put place and neighbourhood at the heart of our decision-making.

“By engaging with older people and key stakeholders at a local level, we can significantly improve the lives of residents in mid to later life across our city-region.”

Read Creating Age Friendly Developments – a practical guide for ensuring homes and communities support ageing in place.