Once approved, the document will form part of the current Moray Local Development Plan.

There is already a shortage of accessible housing in Moray due to demographic change and the increasing number of people requiring suitably designed housing.

The draft supplementary guidance seeks to respond to the shortfall by requiring private sector developers to deliver more accessible housing for sale and increase tenure choice for people requiring this type of accommodation.

Moray Council’s planning and regulatory services committee has agreed to a public consultation on the proposals which will run until July 1.

A report to the committee stated: “Surveys suggest that over 60 per cent of older people would prefer to move into a bungalow in later life. However, there is a growing under-supply and addressing this mismatch is a challenge for those planning, designing and developing housing for an ageing population.

“The amendments proposed in the revised guidance would provide a mix of house types which more accurately reflects need and demand.

“It is proposed that 50 per cent of private sector accessible housing units are delivered in single storey form – namely, a bungalow. In practice this would mean that the requirement from a development of 100 units would be eight accessible private sector units for sale on the open market - four of which must be bungalows.”