The later living sector needs a boost – Amy France speaks to Property Week

Commercial Real Estate Partner and Head of Later Living, Amy France, has spoken to Property Week about the International Longevity Centre’s research into Later Living and how this can trigger progress by tackling issues that have held back growth and innovation in the sector.

With the number of over-65s set to reach 17 million by 2040, the research suggests that the number of older people’s housing units constructed per year will need to rise from 7,000 to 50,000.

A considerable boost in production is therefore necessary and France outlines several steps that can be taken to facilitate this. She specifically mentions sector-specific legislation, local authority targets and widespread planning exceptions as methods to increase clarity, accountability and viability of developments. She also references flexible tenure options, such as shared ownership agreements and stamp duty land tax removals.

France says: “There is no lack of good ideas for how we can get the sector motoring. We need the public and private sectors to work together to escalate delivery. This means putting some meaningful incentives in place for later-living development to thrive.”

This article was first published in Property Week on 19 January 2023 and is available to read in full here, behind their paywall.