Criterion 10

There should be:
a) a wheelchair accessible entrance level WC, with
b) drainage provision enabling a shower to be fitted to be fitted in the future.

Specification and dimensions which meet the Lifetime Home standards**
The drainage provision for a future shower should be provided in all dwellings.
Dwellings of three or more bedrooms or on one level
For dwellings with three or more bedrooms, or on one level, the WC must be fully accessible. A wheelchair user should be able to close the door from within the closet and achieve side transfer from a wheelchair to at least one side of the WC. There must be at least 1100mm clear space from the front of the WC bowl. The shower provision must be within the closet or adjacent to the closet (the WC could be an integral part of the bathroom in a flat or bungalow).
Other dwellings of two or fewer bedrooms
In small two-bedroom dwellings [on more than one level] where the design has failed to achieve the above fully accessible standard WC, the Part M standard WC will meet this standard.

Comparison and comments in relation to relevant paragraphs of Approved Document M, 2004 (Part M)
Section 10 of Approved Document M requires that a WC be provided in the entrance storey of the dwelling where this storey contains a habitable room, or the principle storey of the dwelling if there are no habitable rooms on the entrance storey.
It requires (and details) that clear space is provided to enable a wheelchair user to access the WC but does not necessarily require the wheelchair to be fully accommodated with the WC compartment (i.e. the wheelchair user may access and use the WC but only with part of the wheelchair within the compartment, necessitating the WC compartment door to be left open).

The Approved Document M WC would only be LTH compliant (and satisfy criterion 10a) on the entrance level of a dwelling with 2 or more storeys and two or fewer bedrooms. In all other LTH compliant dwellings (3 bed / 3 bed+ houses/maisonettes, and all flats and bungalows regardless of size/occupancy), a fully accessible WC, with side and frontal transfer spaces within the compartment (or bathroom), exceeding the Approved Document M spatial requirements, is required on the entrance level of the dwelling. **

The drainage for a future accessible shower (criterion 10b) is required in all LTH compliant dwellings, regardless of size, which is an additional requirement not included in the Approved Document M requirements.


** See 16 LTH Criteria for more technical guidance and specific questions and answers on each Criterion.