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Apartment developer Baltinas Made says it has embraced flexible floor plans – including a wheelchair – friendly apartment – in a bid to capitalise on demand for more suitable housing for older West Australians and to stand out in a “very tough” apartment market.

“There’s a dramatic shift in the way Perth people want to live,” Baltinas Made founder Barry Baltinas said. “As apartment living becomes a more common choice for couples downsizing from a traditional family home, it follows that many of them will stay on in old age when some may need specialised care.”

Mr Baltinas said his company was working with a Perth couple to design a wheelchair – friendly home at its new $28 million, 19 apartment Camilla Residences in Mount Street, West Perth.

“We’re looking at things such as vehicle height access in underground garage ... widening apartment corridors, door ways and circulation spaces to suit wheelchair movement,” he said. “We believe there will be an increasing need for developers to work with buyers to customise apartments to cater for shower access, bigger bedrooms and lower appliance heights,” Mr Baltinas said he was excited about having an opportunity to innovate in the development of the last remaining Mount Street site.

“It has to be financially viable but also need to leave a positive footprint,” he said.

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