Planning
more conventional residential schemes. In fact, it could be said that the main obstacle to care and later living development has been the availability, or lack thereof, of the right land in the right locations. A clear resolution to the problems of site
supply is the greater availability of Green Belt sites. However, these sites tend to sit on the edge of settlements in less suitable locations and are therefore not only less useful for the care needs of a given area, but also likely to face steep competition from housing developers. Furthermore, with the scale and complexity often at play for these sites, schemes may take years to push through planning proposals and approvals. This certainly fails to meet more immediate need. The NPPF, curating its pro-development
reforms, has opened the door for ‘grey belt’ land. This is increasingly being pursued as an avenue for development. Grey Belt sites are those which fall within the conventional Green Belt but are viewed as being of poorer quality and having a lower need for protection from urban sprawl. Appeal decisions regarding the Grey Belt
are still in the early stages. However, what has already become clear is that the scale of contributions that a development offers to matters of ‘national importance’ is often crucial for tipping the balance in favour of approval. That includes a development which contributes to energy infrastructure, housing need, or – critically – care and retirement living need. In the near future, Grey Belt development may be a key route for facilitating care and later living development, but for now, this remains in its nascent stages. Concerns still remain around the
brevity of the planning process and the development costs of later living schemes. Specialised infrastructure and ongoing operational costs are often fundamental to a project, and therefore present a particular challenge when such developments face further delays. Later living developers may be staring down the barrel of financial difficulties while waiting for the slow passage of approvals.
Collaborative approach is the way forward Housebuilding has been placed firmly at the forefront of the government’s building agenda, and housebuilders have been enabled to be more active as a result of planning reforms. Given this consideration, there is an opportunity for care home
developers to collaborate with residential developers to the mutual benefit of both parties. The ongoing ambitious pledge to build 1.5 million new homes provides the perfect basis for care and housing developers to collaborate and meet the demands of both the urgent housing shortage and the UK’s ageing population. By partnering with residential developers
as early as possible in the planning process, care home and later living developers can become embedded in the promotion of a site. This allows them to present the employment benefits of care homes and later living residential units, and also provides an early access route to prime available sites that might otherwise be dismissed as potential opportunities over fears of increased competition. The employment benefits of care
homes schemes can also assist residential developers in their arguments alongside planning proposals. If localised planning policy requires an element of employment generation to be included as a component of the site, then residential developers are well-placed to point to care development allocation in planning as evidence. If a care or later living facility is developed
in a location that is away from the London and South and East England bubble, then it is also likely to generate employment opportunities in the areas that need it most, where the job landscape is far more limited. These facilities also provide a stimulus to the wider supply chain of employment opportunities, not just those on site. As well as catering, facilities management or care support roles on site, these developments can also offer an indirect boost to regional transport or taxi services, local retail, and maintenance services.
Capitalising to the benefit of the population at large There has been a considerable amount of activity by housing developers in the context of the changes to the NPPF, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, and the government consistently keeping building and development on the agenda. Given this activity, there is an ideal opportunity for collaboration with other developers to get care and later living schemes on the table in a deliberate and purposeful manner, controlling the narrative and identifying potentially valuable schemes to align with, and broadening provision and choice in the market. The ongoing growth agenda will continue
Jonathan Rainey
Jonathan performs dual roles in Pegasus Group as an executive director – planning, and as deputy CEO. In his professional work as a planner with 20 years’ experience, Jonathan has developed a keen interest in the later living sector and represents a number of national developers and operators in this space, with his work ranging from integrated retirement communities to care homes.
to see housing developers pursuing prime sites. If implemented effectively, this will create opportunities for care and later living developers to work alongside them to create more engaging planning arguments, which will be a substantial benefit for the UK’s ageing population. n
Bridget Westcott
Bridget is an associate in Pegasus Group’s Bristol planning team. She has over eight years’ planning consultancy experience, supporting clients to deliver permissions for care homes, assisted living, and other specialist housing schemes.
November 2025
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