Barrier Free

Barrier free is defined as housing and its environment that is designed to allow for the needs of almost everyone. This includes:

• people with temporary or permanent impaired mobility due to accident, illness or
• old age and who may use a wheelchair for some of the time;
• people who have difficulty with steps, bending down or reaching or who lack
• dexterity;
• people with impaired sight or hearing;
• people with impaired memory, learning or reasoning;
• people pushing and manoeuvring prams.

Good practice in all housing design should give equal emphasis to the needs of older and disabled members of society as it does to the comfort, convenience, safety and security of the people in general. Barrier Free starts from that premise, it is design which is more convenient for everyone, it prevents people having to move because their abilities have changed and it is more easily and economically adapted to suit specific needs if this becomes necessary during the life journey.