Local campaigner calls on councils to approve more accessible homes for all

Thursday, 15 October 2026 01:00

Local campaigner Cllr Alan Bullion is calling on council leaders across West Kent to approve more accessible homes for all

Local Southborough and High Brooms town councillor Alan Bullion, who is himself disabled with mobility issues, is calling on councils across West Kent to prioritise accessible housing.

He is warning that too many people remain trapped in homes that fail to fully meet their basic needs.

inspired by findings highlighted by Habinteg Housing Association in their annual Accessible Homes Week, Cllr Bullion is calling on local authorities to make M4(2) accessible homes the minimum standard for all new developments.

This would help people to remain independent and ensure that all new homes meet the needs of both current and future generations.

The call comes as 20% of UK adults say they or a family member have experienced severe consequences because their current home could not meet their accessibility requirements.

Examples include delayed patient discharge from hospital as their home did not meet their changed condition, or needed significant adaptations, or having to move into residential care or sheltered accommodation.

Cllr Bullion said “that with an increasingly ageing population, while people struggle in their existing homes due to stroke, heart failure or other conditions, building more accessible homes would save money from having to adapt many current homes over coming years,”

Further details of the survey findings here:

https://www.habinteg.org.uk/the-adaptability-gap-public-perceptions-of-uk-homes-in-2026