Flagship UK Police initiative Secured by Design has today (11/03/14) launched New Homes 2014 to aid those developers, architects and planners of new and refurbished homes. The guide sits alongside Secured by Design’s other guidance documents including New Schools and aims to promote best practice solutions to ‘design out crime’ in residential developments and new homes.
The design guide is free to download and is available on the Secured by Design website and includes guidance on; layout of communal spaces, use of lighting, access and landscaping, highlight planning decisions that reduce the risk of crime and anti-social behaviour. It also details the current standards required by ACPO Secured by Design and the Police services and complements the Secured by Design Principles and Design Guides, which can also be found on the site.
The requirements and recommendations within the New Homes 2014 document is based upon verified research and has been proven to achieve a reduction in crime risk of up to 75%.
All applications for New Homes received on or after 1/4/14 will need to meet the 2014 guidance.