Aberystwyth development wins SBD development award

The Penparcau redevelopment transformed the locality which previously suffered from anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and arson has now provided 9 one-bedroom flats for affordable (social) rent, each with their own  parking space, together with new community parking.

The design adopted a modular approach, with all 9 homes being the same unit, set out in a staggered and stacked arrangement to form one cohesive building that  provides each flat with its own dedicated amenity area and parking space. This design not only reflects existing form, it also follows the contour of the land and help protect residential amenity.

Designing Out Crime Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police were involved from the concept stage of the design, a Welsh Government requirement, with full SBD recommendations incorporated from the outset.

Located in one of the 10 most deprived wards in terms of housing in Wales, the development had been chosen by Welsh Government to receive grant funding under the Innovative Housing Programme (IHP), a programme that provides grants to innovative housing of outstanding design. It is a highly competitive programme due to the limited grant funding available each year.

Receiving the award, Dyfed-Powys Police Designing Out Crime Officer PC Steve Morris said: “I am delighted that this scheme won this prestigious national award. After the completion of the development total Incidents reported to the police reduced by 46% in the area, and anti-social behaviour reports reduced by 75%. 

“This was judged to be the winning submission based on the challenging nature of the site, being only 5 metres wide, the innovative solutions implemented and the subsequent significant reduction in crime.”

Geraint Roberts a Senior Development Officer for Barcud, the housing association responsible for the development said “This is great news and a testament to everybody involved. An important aim of this scheme from the outset was to not only provide new high-quality homes that people want to live in, but to make a positive contribution to local residents, and this award recognises that positive impact.”

Daryl Davies the Contracts Manager for the builder, Williams Homes said, “This was a very challenging but enjoyable project to be involved with, and it’s great to see it get the recognition it deserves.

“We are proud to be able to handover this scheme to Barcud and help make a difference to the local community by providing much needed quality housing.”

Inspector Darren Crockford from Dyfed-Powys Police, said: “I personally think that this is a true example of how crime ridden derelict garage sites can be transformed to safe and sustainable homes for future generations.

“The development offered an exciting opportunity to significantly enhance the street scene along Heol Dinas by removing unsightly redundant garages and providing a replacement building that is of a high-quality design. It has the potential to uplift existing residential development along this street and make a significant contribution towards regeneration of this area of Penparcau.

“The development provides an innovative, well-designed, solution to what was a problematic garage area”.

Improved security

Developers around the UK can achieve SBD awards for incorporating crime prevention measures and techniques into their developments in all kinds of building sectors, such as residential, education, health, transport, commercial, retail, sport and leisure. Indeed, SBD can be used as evidence to discharge third-party obligations under Part Q of Schedule 1 (Security) to the English Building Regulations, the Scottish Building Standard 4.13 (Security) and Welsh Building Regulations Part Q (Security – Dwellings). These awards are gained by working with police Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs), who advise architects, developers and local authority planners long before construction begins – and continue to provide advice and guidance until the development is complete.

Academic and other research shows that improving standards of security in brand new and refurbished properties, helps deter and reduce crime. Reducing crime and the fear of crime has direct links to better physical and mental well-being, such as with regard to high volume crimes like domestic abuse.   

The built environment influences the behaviour of people who work, live, socialise or simply pass through. SBD seeks to create environments where the law-abiding feel safe and secure whilst at the same time causing the criminal or anti-social to feel vulnerable to detection and thereby influence behaviour in a positive way. This continues to be a key objective for SBD.

Find out more about SBD Developers Awards here.

SBD Design Guides

SBD has produced a series of authoritative Design Guides to assist the building, design and construction industry to incorporate security into developments to comply with the Building Regulations in England, Scotland and Wales and meet the requirements of SBD.

These Design Guides, available to download for free at the SBD website, have been updated over the years to keep pace with changing patterns of criminal behaviour and advances in building design and new technology.

They are a valuable source of reference to architects, developers, self-builders, local authority planners and police officers and cover a range of building sectors, including residential, education, health, transport and commercial. 

Police Designing Out Crime Officers

DOCOs provide specialist crime reduction advice to the public, businesses and colleagues about premises or property security. They also work with building developers, architects, and council planning departments regarding new developments and refurbishments, to 'design out' crimes like burglary and anti-social behaviour (ASB) by providing advice on street lighting, building and street layout, entrances and exits - as well as preferred standards and specifications for doors, windows, and locks, under the Secured by Design initiative. 

DOCOs are able to deliver site specific interventions required to help design out crime in areas that suffer disproportionately from acquisitive crime, based on local crime pattern analysis, police, local authority and community engagement and the collective knowledge and experience of how criminals behave.

DOCOs are specialist problem solvers, working every day to make a positive difference, changing lives for the better and helping people to be safe and secure in their homes.

Contact details for local DOCOs can be found here.