Category: Guidance

Thinking Ahead

Local authority estates have been a vital part of the UK’s housing provision for over 50 years, and although many face social, economic, placemaking and physical stock issues, the advantages of estate regeneration are plentiful. More recently, policy and funding initiatives have created a fresh impetus for renewing the nation’s estates – putting it firmly on the political, as well as the housing, agenda.

In collaboration with GVA, Levitt Bernstein have produced this best practice guide to help Local Authorities and Housing Associations through the three key stages of the estate regeneration process: preparation, strategy and delivery. Taking each in turn, this guide sets out the questions that need to be answered in order to design and deliver successful renewal projects.

Author: Levitt Bernstein, GVA

Publication date: February 2019

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Tags Estate Regeneration, Urban Design

Guidance

The Policy Playbook: Driving sustainability in new homes – a resource for local authorities

Good Homes Alliance contributed to and endorsed this resource developed by UKGBC, in association with Core Cities UK, that is designed to help enable local authorities (LAs) drive up the sustainability of new homes.

The ‘Policy Playbook’ focuses on energy & carbon, mitigating overheating risk, and the cross-cutting issue of assuring performance. There is also a section on viability and a set of case studies.

Author: UKGBC

Publication date: February 2019 (Version 1.3). Originally published March 2018 (Version 1.0)

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Guidance Report

London Environment Strategy

The Mayor of London is taking a range of actions to improve the environment now, setting London on the path to create a better future.

The state of London’s environment affects everyone who lives in and visits the city – it helps Londoners to stay healthy, makes London a good place to work and keeps the city functioning from day to day.

In many ways London’s environment is improving, but it still faces a host of challenges. Toxic air, noise pollution, threats to our green spaces, and the adverse effects of climate change – they all pose major risks to the health and wellbeing of Londoners.

We need to act now to tackle the most urgent environmental challenges facing our city, as well as safeguard London’s environment over the longer term. We need to ensure that London is greener, cleaner and ready for the future.

This is the first strategy to bring together approaches to every aspect of London’s environment, integrating the following areas:

air quality
green infrastructure
climate change mitigation and energy
waste
adapting to climate change
ambient noise
low carbon circular economy

Author: Mayor of London

Publication date: May 2018

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Further information: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/london-environment-strategy

Tags Circular Economy, Health and Wellbeing, Indoor Air Quality, Net Zero, Resource Efficiency

Guidance

Building for Life 12

The Building for Life 12 (BfL12) guidelines were published in a booklet in September 2012. BfL12 is the third version of the guide for developers and local authorities and responds to and ensures it is best suited to the needs of the reformed planning system under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Localism Act.

BfL12 is designed to help local communities become more involved in design conversations and in shaping development proposals. Its 12 questions provide a structure for discussions between local communities, the local planning authority, the developer and other stakeholders, to ensure that the design of new homes and their neighbourhood are as attractive, functional and sustainable as possible.

Its development is the result of a unique collaboration between house builders, local authorities, planners, architects and academics. It enables stakeholders involved in housing to consider all the elements of what makes “a good place to live” at the design stage.

Author: Design Council, CABE, Home Builders Federation, Design for Homes

Publication date: 2018

Further information: www.builtforlifehomes.org

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Tags Standards

Guidance Report

London’s Circular Economy Route Map

This route map outlines a vision of a capital city thriving through the adoption of the principles of circular economy: an economy which keeps products, components and materials at their highest use and value at all times. It looks forward to an alternative to the current linear economy – defined as one in which we make, use and then dispose of products, components and materials – and it comes with significant benefits.

Author: LWARB

Publication date: June 2017

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Tags Circular Economy

Guidance

Manchester Residential Quality Guidance

An outline to the considerations, qualities, and opportunities that will help to deliver high quality residential development as part of successful and sustainable neighbourhoods across Manchester.

Author: Manchester City Council (MCC) by:

Deloitte Real Estate: John Cooper/Ed Britton
Planit-IE: Peter Swift/Robert Thompson/Alexandra Chairetaki/Chris Hall/Abi Allen
CallisonRTKL: John Badman/Michael Dillon

Publication date: March 2017

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Tags Design, Planning, Quality, Urban Design

Guidance

The Cambridge Sustainable Housing Design Guide

Cambridge City Council plan to build at least 500 new environmentally friendly council homes by 2022. The Good Homes Alliance contributed towards the development of ‘The Cambridge Sustainable Housing Design Guide’ for the Greater Cambridge Housing Development Agency (HDA) which sets out the key design principles that will be followed when developing the new homes.

Author: Greater Cambridge Housing Development Agency (HDA).

Publication date: February 2017

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