Access statements
An access statement should be viewed as a document which 'grows' with a project. It can develop from planning, through development control to management of the building once in use.
An access statement can demonstrate the designer's commitment to take the issue of inclusive design seriously, through to occupation where the document becomes an effective building management tool and therefore ensuring long term accessibility.
CAE is able to advise on the content of access statements from project conception to handover. We have developed access statement pro formas for organisations such as Great Ormond Street Hospital and London Underground and provide training on the development and use of access statements.
What are access statements and why are they required?
Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2005)
The Act is bringing changes to the development control system, integrating the access statement with the design statement.
From the 10 August 2006 a design and access statement will be required for certain planning applications. The statement will need to identify:
- the design principles and concepts that have been applied to the development
- how issues relating to access to the development have been dealt with.
The London Plan
The London Plan Supplementary Planning Guidance Accessible London: achieving an inclusive environment states that London Boroughs should require development proposals to include access statements.
It also states that the access statement should be treated as more than just a commitment to meet the minimum standards of the 2004 edition of the Approved Document M and that it should clearly demonstrate the applicant’s approach to inclusion, and show how all potential users, regardless of disability, age or gender, can enter the site, move around the site, enter the buildings and use the facilities.
The Building Regulations 2000 – Part M Access to and use of buildings
The Approved Document M (AD M) of the Building Regulations recommends that an access statement be provided at the time plans are deposited, a building notice is given or details of a project are given to an approved inspector, and updated to reflect decisions on site.
At its very simplest, such a statement might record that the intention of the client, designer or design team was to comply where appropriate with the guidance in the AD M, and to indicate in what respects it was considered appropriate. Where an applicant wishes to depart from the guidance in AD M, either to achieve a better solution using new technologies, to provide a more convenient solution, or to address the constraints of an existing building, the statement should set out the reasons for departing from the guidance and the rationale for the design approach adopted.
Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005
The Acts do not require access statements. However, developing access statements provided for Building Regulation purposes into operations manuals for the end user of the development is an approach that is recommended by the Disability Rights Commission and CAE. We recommend that the final document covers general management, maintenance and staff training.
For further information email CAE's consultancy team.