Housing quality must come first, says CABE

'In the face of so enormous a problem, there is a temptation to cut standards, to reduce size, to eliminate planning and design - anything for speed - but this would be a crime for which we, our children and grandchildren would pay for 50 years to come; it is a crime we must not commit.'
Aneurin Bevan, Minister for Health and Housing, 1946-1951. Homes for the People (1946).

Unless there is a marked increase in the quality of new housing, over seven million people in England risk not getting the new homes they need by 2020, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) said today (Wednesday, 19 September). CABE is calling on the government to make Building for Life the national standard against which design quality is measured in the planning system.

Richard Simmons, CABE chief executive, said,

'The public assume that new build homes will be a scar on their neighbourhood, rather than an asset to it. Putting quality first offers the best chance of reducing the local and regional objections that often delay the planning process and slow down the release of land. We need three million homes, not least to house the nurses and teachers who will serve these new communities. But it's quality that will help unlock the numbers.'

The government has already signalled its commitment to good housing design in its new housing green paper and Planning Policy Statement 3 (2006). CABE is now calling on the government to embed the Building for Life standard in the planning system. Building for Life is a set of twenty criteria which, if met, ensure high design standards in housing developments. Already, English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation as well as some local authorities will only give approval to housing developments that meet the Building for Life standard. Making it part of the planning system will ensure that it will be applied to all new housing planning applications.

The Building for Life standard winners announced today prove that the capacity and motivation does exist to deliver well-designed homes, in a range of architectural styles and housing tenures. The winners range from suburban homes which break the mould for Reading to affordable homes in deprived areas in the West Midlands and Yorkshire, as well as urban regeneration schemes in London.

They are positive signs of change since CABE's first national audit of the design quality of new private housing in England. That audit found that four out of five private new homes built in England in the last five years were not good enough, with 29 per cent so badly designed they should have been refused planning permission. The change in housing quality needs to accelerate dramatically if the government is to be sure of meeting its 2020 target for new homes.

Wayne Hemingway, chair of Building for Life, said:

'We have got to stop building the slums of tomorrow. Making Building for Life a benchmark standard in the planning process will mean that over seven million people could live in homes and neighbourhoods which they can be proud of.'

CABE will also soon publish an online toolkit aimed at developers, planners, future residents, clients and designers to help them evaluate whether proposed housing developments will meet the Building for Life standard. This toolkit will help those parties implement the call in the housing green paper for their commitment to eliminate poor developments.

Building for Life 2007 Winners

Since Building for Life launched in 2002, over 50 housing schemes have been awarded the standard. This year, Empire Square in London and The Manor in Reading take the Berkeley Group ahead of the game with seven Building for Life awards over six years. Barratt Homes gained its first award with The Visage development in London's Swiss Cottage.

There were three Building for Life gold standard winners and six silver standard winners. The silver standard developments fulfilled 70 per cent of the criteria, while the gold standards met 80 per cent. These 20 criteria objectively measure the quality of a scheme's design and construction; its roads, parking and pedestrianisation; its environment and community; and its character.

Building for Life gold standards

The Russells, Broadway, Worcestershire

Chase Homes, Evesham and Pershore Housing Association, and Lapworth Architects

Built on the site of a former Arts and Crafts furniture factory, The Russells is a development respectful of its Cotswolds setting, with great character and a superb new public square. The judges described it as "a great piece of urbanism…real town building," and praised its "flexible meeting space." Wayne Hemingway, Building for Life chair said: "The people who've made this development happen are heroes. Good schemes need leadership and someone who cares - this has it in spades."

Great Bow Yard, Langport, Somerset

Ecos Homes and Stride Treglown

An exemplary sustainable development of 12 homes built on the site of an old oil depot. Great Bow Yard demonstrates to the mainstream private sector that it is possible to build sustainable homes and still make a profit. 'A healthy place with healthy material,' was the judges' summary, continuing, 'you can imagine it'll be a happy place to live.'

Empire Square, Southwark, London

Berkeley Homes and Rolfe Judd Architects

A new London landmark thanks to its barometer beacon, Empire Square is a triangular mixed-use block comprising three buildings enclosing a dramatically sculpted pavilion. It replaces derelict warehouses, and the affordable and rental housing is carefully integrated with private dwellings. 'The specification is absolutely fantastic, there isn't a material they've used that won't look as good in 25 years.'

Building for Life silver standards

Waterstone Park, Greenhithe, Kent

Countryside Properties, Land Securities, and Gardner Stewart Architects

A housing scheme of simple contemporary elegance, care has been shown to take advantage of the Thames views from the hilltop site. The clear layout of the scheme is enhanced by higher buildings next to large open spaces and the corners of blocks. 'Very brave and bold, a really interesting out-of-town development.'

Visage and Swiss Cottage Cultural Centre, Swiss Cottage, London.

Barratt, Dawnay Day. S&P Architects, and Terry Farrell & Partners

This mixed use redevelopment of obsolete leisure facilities has cleverly provided, via a public private partnership, a surprising number of high quality facilities for the local community. "A regeneration success on a fantastic site…a brilliant 'street in the sky' has been created by placing new units on top of the recreation centre."

The Village, St Austell, Cornwall

Westco Properties, Restormel Borough Council and Midas Homes

An integral part of the St Austell regeneration programme, the range of house types and tenures are built to a high standard of craftsmanship and reflect the local existing houses. 'It looks like it's grown organically. The variation in styles, the road lay-out, and the streets all fit together very well.'

The Manor, Lower Earley, Reading

St James Homes and John Thompson & Partners

A lovely landscaped park creates a successful buffer zone between The Manor and the M4 traffic. A clear layout, a distinctive character and good quality specification combine to provide a well-designed suburban scheme. 'The Manor breaks the mould for Reading, very bold, and a local quality benchmark.'

Allerton Bywater (Area 3B), West Yorkshire

English Partnerships, Fleming Fusion, and PRP Architects

Bywater Court is an important addition to the former mining area Allerton Bywater, one of English Partnerships' seven Millennium Communities. This contemporary scheme includes atelier units which mixes commercial use amongst the residential activity. 'This scheme will reinvigorate the area, creating employment, entrepreneurship and a community.'

Upton (Phase 1, Site A), Northampton

English Partnerships, Paul Newman Homes and EDAW

A major town centre extension, the first phase of Upton consists of high quality material, streets and landscaping. 'Beautifully done, with great detailing. Landscape architects seem to have been deeply involved, it's like going to a garden centre!'

Notes to editor

• For further information, please contact Michael Murray-Fennell, Senior Press Officer, CABE on 020 7070 6772 or at mmurray-fennell@cabe.org.uk
• Images of the 2007 Building for Life winners are available at http://images.cabe.org.uk/BMS?link=04DD5CFF
• The Building for Life standard is awarded to housebuilders and housing associations who demonstrate a commitment to high design standards, good place making and sustainable development. Building for Life is an initiative led by CABE and the Home Builders Federation. It is supported by the Civic Trust, Design for Homes, English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation.
• CABE is the government's advisor on architecture, urban design and public space. As a public body, we encourage policymakers to create places that work for people. We help local planners apply national design policy and offer expert advice to developers and architects. We show public sector clients how to commission buildings that meet the needs of their users. And we seek to inspire the public to demand more from their buildings and spaces. Advising, influencing and inspiring, we work to create well-designed, welcoming places.