The importance of design and quality in affordable housing was highlighted by the Housing Corporation with the launch of two new publications:
Design and Quality Strategy, which sets out the steps the Corporation proposes to take to ensure housing providers respond to new building and design challenges.
Design and Quality Standards, the Corporation's first revision of these requirements for new-built affordable housing for four years.
The two publications set out the standards that developments funded through the Corporation's multi-billion pound 2008 National Affordable Housing Programme will need to meet.
Design and Quality Strategy sets out a strategy that can be implemented and enforced across a range of Corporation developments and in a wide variety of communities. Recognising the importance of sustainability, mixed communities, enforcement and the role of tenants in ensuring high quality designs, the strategy:
places a strong focus on better design - endeavouring to create an operating environment in which good design is encouraged and rewarded;
commits the Corporation to continuing incentives to encourage higher standards as part of its assessment process; and
identifies how the Corporation will monitor outcomes and deal with poor performance.
The new Design and Quality Standards sets out the Corporation's requirements and recommendations for all new homes which will receive Corporation funding, including:
a streamlined approach to standard setting - towards three core performance standards for the internal environment, external environment and sustainability;
homes stronger on sustainability - based upon achieving a minimum of the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3;
specific additional standards for higher density family housing; and
BME provision, supported housing and housing for older people.
Housing Corporation Deputy Chief Executive, Steve Douglas, said:
"These two publications will not only continue to raise standards for social housing, setting out the Corporation's expectations for the homes that we fund, but they will also have a wide resonance with local authorities and across the building industry as a whole."
The launch of the Design and Quality Strategy and Standards coincides with the launch of the Housing Corporation's pre-qualification prospectus for its next 2008-multi-billion pound national investment programme.
This is the first revision of the Housing Corporation's Design and Quality Standards since 2003 - originally called Scheme Development Standards.
The change follows the formation of the Housing Corporation's Future Investment Approaches Working Group, to help formulate proposals for revising the Housing Corporation's funding framework. The Working Group includes the National Housing Federation, the Home Builders Federation, the Building Research Establishment, the Council of Mortgage Lenders, housing associations and private developers.
The Group was invited to assist the Corporation in identifying how further flexibilities and freedoms might be introduced to help speed up supply and improve value for money in the provision of affordable housing, whilst maintaining good design and quality standards. The remit included contributing to a review of the Corporation's Scheme Development Standards.
Princess Anne unveiled the first social housing development to be built on a community-owned Herbridean island for five years. The Princess Royal officially opened the final phase of a £2.3 million affordable housing project on the island of Gigha - three miles west of Scotland's Kintyre peninsula.
Housing association Fyne Home is behind the 18-home development and regeneration project. In April they completed 10 new homes for rent.
The new homes, which are partially powered by solar panels, were designed by Oban architect Iain Campbell, who was chosen by islanders from a design competition sponsored by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland.
Gigha residents made history when they purchased the island for £4 million, in March 2002. They now officially own it through a development trust: the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust. Last year Gigha boasted a population of 150 - more than a 50% rise since the 2002 buy-out.
There are plans to also build a park for the island's children, near the local hotel.
A report from the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) concludes the Olympic housing complex, which will eventually be turned into affordable homes, is being planned on a site too small for the number of housing units proposed.
The report expresses concerns that the Clays Lane site set by the planning application site boundary has insufficient land capacity. It suggests that spreading the development over a larger area might better create "an urban grain and density more characteristic of London."
The Olympic Delivery Authority is overseeing the plan and still has to produce the detailed designs for the homes. CABE will respond to those separately.