In August 2018, the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), on behalf of the Building Minister’s Forum, released an Options Paper discussing the possible inclusion of minimum accessibility standards for housing in the National Construction Code (NCC).

Accessible housing is defined as any housing that includes features to enable use of people either with a disability or through their life stages. Currently, the NCC does not set out any accessibility requirements for Class 1a buildings (houses, townhouses, row houses, etc). Contrastingly, Class 2 buildings (apartment buildings) are required to provide accessible path of travel to the door of each individual apartment on at least one floor. However, the NCC does not set out accessibility requirements to the internal parts of individual apartments within a Class 2 building.

The Accessible Housing Options Paper seeks community and industry input into possible options to expand minimum building standards for accessibility for the following building types:

  • Single dwellings
  • Multi-story residential apartments

The Options Paper provides a number of options to consider regarding the application of minimum accessibility standards for housing. Master Builders will consider those options via consultation with our Sector Committees and work with MBA national office to formulate a response to the paper.

Master Builders has consistently opposed the imposition of mandatory standards on practicality and cost grounds. Equitable access is a laudable goal, but when applied to the practicalities of building (such as steep driveways or complicated access) it is unreasonable to expect developers to meet strict standards.

Master Builders considers that any new requirements should not add further cost burden in the construction of residential dwellings and exacerbate issues of housing affordability. Master Builders Victoria will work closely with MBA National Office to develop a response to the Options Paper. The ABCB intends to hold a number of Submissions on the Options paper close Friday 30 November 2018.

Click here to access the Accessible Housing Options Paper.