In the Government's enthusiasm to get houses built quickly, residents risk missing out on sustainable communities. According to the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), the Government's independent watchdog, current delivery of the housing programme still involves unnecessarily high levels of demolition of people's homes, builds on severely water-stressed areas, fails to get local facilities and public transport for residents on time, and does not yet take full account of climate change.
Based on site visits and interviews with local authorities, developers and residents, the SDC report assesses whether the Government has delivered on its promise to create sustainable communities. The SDC is hugely encouraged by the way in which CLG Ministers are now addressing sustainability issues, and the report identifies some impressive pockets of good practice. However, overall the SDC finds that few communities built so far are living up to the promise of being environmentally sensitive, well connected, thriving and inclusive.
According to the SDC research:
Housing growth is taking place in severely water-stressed areas. There are serious concerns about whether these areas will be able to cope with increased demand.
There is still a significant amount of undeveloped land being used for new houses.
Despite a shift in Government policy, there are still plans for extensive demolition of occupied homes in the North and the Midlands. This can break up communities, destroy built heritage and create significant waste.
Government has made real progress on climate change with its pledge that new homes will be zero carbon in 10 years' time. But the Government needs to offset carbon from now until 2016 by drastically cutting emissions from existing houses.
A lack of co-ordination means that some communities are left without vital facilities, convenient bus routes, shops, community centres, and parks when residents move in.
Residents report that some new community designs are causing tension by creating a distinct divide between private and affordable housing.
Consultation with residents about plans for their homes has often been poor.
The Government's current focus on house-building alone will not lead to the much-needed regeneration of the Midlands and the North.
The SDC report concludes that the Government must:
Connect new housing with existing communities, rather than sprawling into undeveloped land. This will help to regenerate existing communities and improve job prospects.
Remove the current incentive for developers to demolish people's homes (zero VAT on new build versus 17.5% VAT on refurbishment) by equalizing VAT.
Ratchet up standards for water and energy efficiency measures - e.g. by installing water meters and high quality insulation in all homes.
Significantly improve co-ordination of long-term funding, so that residents get access to vital services and public transport on time.
Plan for high quality, well-maintained green spaces, such as sports areas, community gardens and parks, in all new communities.
Consult residents extensively about the future of their communities as a matter of course.
Taylor Woodrow officially exchanged contracts to start work at its forthcoming development - The Botanic at New Islington, Manchester's Millennium Community. The agreement means work can begin in earnest, after groundwork teams have been in place preparing the land for construction, to build the 200 residential apartments,.
The Botanic comprises two separate, five and seven storey apartment blocks sitting parallel to each other. Between the two buildings, a communal private garden will be created featuring grassed areas and planted mature trees. Of the 200 homes, the majority are one and two-bedroom apartments, but there will also be 35 three-bedroom apartments.
The Botanic is part of New Islington, Manchester's Millennium Community, which in turn is one of English Partnerships' seven Millennium Communities. New Islington is a partnership between national regeneration agency English Partnerships, Urban Splash and New East Manchester Ltd., together with appointed social landlord, Manchester Methodist Housing Association.
The 29 acre site, just east of Manchester City centre, is being radically transformed, to include a new canal and water park, over 1,700 new homes, office space, a school, a health clinic, shops, bars and restaurants.
Affordable housing developer Lovell was been selected for a £2.3 million housing scheme at Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, for Derwent Living.
The scheme will create 30 houses and bungalows for rent and shared ownership. All the properties will achieve a 'Very Good' rating on the EcoHomes assessment scale for measuring a property's environmental performance.
The new homes are set to be completed in March 2008.
Work was due to start on Waterloo Housing Association's new £4.1 million scheme at Wood End in north Warwickshire. The scheme will see the development of 37 new houses and eight apartments at the Islington Crescent site. The new homes will be for affordable rent, shared ownership or for sale through the Association. They will be built on land which was previously occupied by local authority bungalows.
The development is set to take 60 weeks to complete. Eco-friendly features incorporated into the housing will include provision for surface water management, whole house ventilation systems and timber windows. The homes will have SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) ratings - which assess a property's energy efficiency - that go beyond the minimum requirements of Building Regulations.
Work was underway on an innovative £5.6 million timber frame housing scheme in the north-east of Coventry. The £5,600,000 building programme, funded by Whitefriars Housing Group and Coventry City Council, will see 57 high-quality affordable homes built on the site of the old Manor Guildhouse, in Heather Road, Bell Green.
The scheme, which is set for completion in summer 2008, will be a mixed development of two, three and four bedroom homes and two bedroom bungalows and apartments.
A Social Housing Grant of around £2.7m is to be made available from Coventry City Council's Strategic Housing Regeneration Fund towards the development, with Whitefriars funding the remaining £2.9m.
The first Camden family to return to a completely refurbished example of early social housing was celebrating after getting hold of the keys to their new home. They will shortly move into their new four-bed home in Levita House, King's Cross. Their home is one of 44 new family homes created after a £6 million transformation of two blocks of the grade II listed estate.
Levita House was originally built in the 1920s as part of slum clearances. When it was finished the estate included many innovative features for the time, such as central heating and combining private and 'working class' housing.
The family moved out of Levita House in November 2004 ahead of the renovation work. The building had fallen into disrepair, with broken windows, leaking roofs and damp throughout.
The inside of the building has now been completely transformed to provide the much needed larger family homes. They will all have new kitchens, bathrooms, and a new environmentally friendly heating system. The 44 family homes for rent were created from 66 cramped damp and outmoded flats in the original building. Residents will also benefit from new double glazed windows, something rarely approved for listed buildings. Two new lifts and extra security measures will make the whole estate safer for residents.
Social housing maintenance provider Connaught Partnerships completed external refurbishments to a Bristol housing estate in record time. Connaught Partnerships have been at Henbury Court, Henbury for just over 16 months undertaking an extensive refurbishment programme to the complex of low-rise residential dwellings. The work has been completed in 86 weeks - 72 weeks ahead of schedule.
The refurbishment programme formed part of Bristol City Council's Decent Homes programme and included structural concrete repairs, external insulated cladding, roof insulation and coatings, gas central heating installations, new security fencing with a door entry system, installation of a communal television system & lighting, security doors, new staircases and bird deterrent on the windows.
Following consultation with both the local police authority and council representatives, a new security fence and improved visibility on stairwells was added. Redundant storage sheds have also been removed to make way for additional car parking spaces and improved communal areas.
To complete the project, Connaught is carrying out a complete refurbishment of Henbury Court's children's play area.
