Lifelong neighbourhoods: How older people can add value

This Housing LIN Viewpoint no 49 deals with changing the way we plan and develop our towns and cities to meet the needs of an ageing population. It is written in a form that might act as a manifesto for groups wanting to build somewhere different and live in different ways.

It may also be of use to developers or local authorities who want to future proof what they are building. The basic proposition is that we should see older people much more as a resource to be harnessed rather than a set of problems or clients for over-stretched public services. This is spelt out in detail in six sections covering: how values and demands are changing; the economics of isolation (and social capital); the implications for revitalising our town centres; the potential for older people to catalyse the development of sustainable communities; designing for the third age; and finally, where the money can come from.