DAVID CAMERON wants new homes to be built with Britain’s ageing population in mind.

The Tory leader called for an overhaul to the current planning rules that so often result in the building of tiny flats at the expense of houses with gardens. With over-60s now outnumbering under-16s, Mr Cameron’s drive to champion the elderly is hardly surprising for a politician trying to appeal to the grey vote.

But his call for homes that will last a “whole lifetime” are likely to fall on deaf ears among the top home builders.

The Home Builders Federation has said that “the whole concept of lifetime houses is a waste of resources”. Andrew Whitaker, head of planning at the federation, said that designing all homes to suit older residents would be too costly and pointless, as few people spent their lives in the same home.

Mr Whitaker has a point. First-time buyers seldom remain in their starter home for longer than five years. Much better, Mr Whitaker says, to adapt properties to suit the elderly as and when we need to.

Tight deadlines, planning targets and a drive for profits have prompted the big builders to construct more flats than detached houses since 2003. Often these are small apartments aimed at those buying for the first time.

There are fewer homes built for families, never mind the elderly. Of the 160,000 homes built this year, only 4,000 catered specifically for the older generation.

However, with the elderly population estimated to grow to more than 15 million by 2031, developers cannot afford to ignore this market. Not only will there be more older homebuyers, but they are also likely to be wealthier than the average first-time buyer. The Government has set builders a target of constructing 200,000 homes a year by 2016. It is time to think again.

Gary Day, planning director for McCarthy & Stone, the largest builder of private retirement homes, said: “It wouldn’t cost much to add the simple little touches to a new-build, such as easy-turn taps, light sockets at a convenient height or eye-level ovens. It’s the infrastructure that is expensive.”

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