PlaceShaping in Action supports independent living
1 December 2025
The goal was to create living environments that not only supported independence, but also gave tenants a greater sense of purpose and control over daily activities.
When we began our Sugar Hill regeneration, one of the priorities was making sure the ten original households returning to the site would feel truly at home. For us, this wasn’t just about building new houses—it was about creating warm, safe spaces that could support people’s health, confidence, and independence for years to come.
We know how closely housing and health are connected. A well-designed home can make everyday life safer and easier, reducing the risk of falls, accidents, and other avoidable health issues that can have a real impact on someone’s wellbeing—especially later in life.
During our consultation with residents, we learned just how much effort many had put into adapting their previous homes themselves. Stairlifts, walk-in showers - simple changes that made a big difference to daily living.
This insight shaped our approach. Rather than simply recreating standard homes, we wanted to design homes around each household’s individual physical and health needs. We planned to cover the cost of necessary adaptations in the new homes, which residents described as “a breath of fresh air.”
To get things right, we worked with Positive Positioning, an occupational therapy practice, to carry out detailed assessments for residents who identified as having a disability or long-term health condition. These assessments, in conjunction with technical drawings of the homes that were yet to be built, enabled new homes to be designed around the needs of individuals.
Anna Green, Associate Occupational Therapist at Positive Positioning, explained: “The goal was to create living environments that not only supported independence, but also gave tenants a greater sense of purpose and control over daily activities—such as accessing the community, using the bath, and managing tasks in the kitchen. Recognising that no two tenants are the same, each home was designed around the unique needs and circumstances of the individual. This person-centred approach was made possible through close collaboration between the occupational therapists, the tenant, Leeds Federated, and the surveyors and architects involved in the project.”
We incorporated all of the recommended adaptions into the designs of the new homes, with adaptations ranging from grab rails and lever taps to stair lifts and adapted shower cubicles.
Using this approach at Leeds Federated has had such a positive impact on residents which has given me a distinct sense of fulfilment.
In the words of Gerald Brown, who moved into his new home with his wife Patricia: ‘I couldn’t believe they put a stairlift in, couldn’t believe it…we’ve got everything we wanted.’