16.8 Access for All

Access for All

Dublin City Council recognises the need for equality of access for everybody to all aspects of the built and external environment as an essential prerequisite of equal opportunities and the development of an inclusive society.

Dublin City Council will have regard to the National Disability Authority’s Building For Everyone Planning Guidance (Booklet 9, 2009), the UK Lifetime Homes Standards, and will seek to encourage the implementation of best practice standards with regard to access in relation to both indoor and outdoor environments.

Part M of the Building Regulations sets out standards to ensure that buildings are accessible and usable by everyone, including the aged, people with disabilities and people with children. The Technical Guidance Document in relation to Part M provides guidance on the access requirements for public buildings and for residential dwellings.

An important element in achieving sustainability in the design of residential units is the ability of the design to accommodate decreased mobility as residents may acquire some level of mobility impairment through accident, or inevitably through old age.