The government's plans for building affordable housing across the UK in the coming years will take into account likely elderly residents, it has been suggested.

Building.co.uk reports central government intends to establish legislation requiring housebuilders to meet Lifetime Homes standards.

These are intended to guarantee that the properties constructed account for the needs of older and disabled people.

The National Housing Federation, a lobby group in the industry, described the move as a "step in the right direction".

Among other requirements, Lifetime Homes obliges developers to design homes with hallways suitable for wheelchair users, for instance by increasing turning spaces in stairwells.

Meanwhile, the South Wales Echo reports that an industrial site in Cardiff is set to be a groundbreaking forerunner of wider sustainable homes projects due to the demanding targets set by the Welsh assembly government.