Land redevelopment opportunities in London, including new homes, are set to be transformed, thanks to a new freely available online tool, launched by the London Development Agency (LDA) and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).
Open to all, the London Brownfield Sites Database is the country's most comprehensive database of land available for redevelopment. This is accompanied by a London specific Best Practice Guide to brownfield land in London.
The Database records around 2,300 previously developed "brownfield" sites across London, equivalent to more than 2% of the land in Greater London. This is an increase of over 1,000 sites than was recorded on the previous National Land Use Database (NLUD) system.
Using up-to-the minute Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping, this includes transport routes, deprivation, social infrastructure, as well as heritage and natural environment assets. This is made possible by an Ordnance Survey mapping base that allows additional information to be overlaid.
Visitors to the Database website will be able to identify sites suitable for development, and better explore and understand a site's context.
At a time when developers are seeking greater certainty over site availability and site suitability, this information will help to establish clear redevelopment opportunities. Other regional stakeholders such as the Environment Agency, and English Heritage have contributed to the system. London Boroughs can use the data to inform their policies, site specific allocations, and housing and employment land availability assessments.
The LDA has committed ongoing resources to assist Boroughs in compiling their data and in providing support to users. So far, around 50 Borough officers have been trained on how to use the system.
A record number of 36 housing schemes have qualified for a Building for Life standard this year, which is an increase of a third from last year.
Despite difficult market conditions, the percentage of new housing schemes which were seen by assessors and achieved the standard rose from 19% of the 125 Building for Life award entries in 2008, to 44% of the 81 entries in 2009.
Building for Life is the national standard for well-designed homes and neighbourhoods. Schemes were judged against the 20 Building for Life criteria, which embody CABE and the Home Builder Federation's vision of functional, attractive and sustainable housing. A total of 12 gold standards and 24 silver standards were achieved this year, the most in either category since the awards began.
The seventh year of the Building for Life awards brings a good regional spread of standard winning schemes, with London schemes picking up 19 standards. East Midlands was the only English region to fail to gain a standard.
The schemes vary in size and type, from a special needs housing scheme in London to a hospital conversion that retains its unique character as two bedroom cottages.
Well designed housing market renewal schemes are emerging, proof that organisations working together on a subregional basis are using good design to raise aspirations and standards.
The 36 schemes are now on a shortlist for a Building for Life award. The awards are organised by CABE and the Home Builders Federation and will be announced on 2 December 2009 by Rt Hon John Healey MP, Minister for Housing and Planning.
CABE and eight regional design review panels have joined together to create a national network of design review panels. This will provide all local planning authorities with access to independent practical design advice. The network will collectively review more than 800 schemes a year.
CABE has supported regional design review panels since 2005 and affiliation formalises the relationship. It will ensure that the panels work closely together, and a consistent service is provided to developers and planners across England.
Affiliation commits each organisation to observe key principles of design review, including a focus on the impact on those using a building or place and the public at large, as well as sharing the lessons from design review on a regular basis.
This affiliation recognises the high-quality service provided by regional panels and it will ensure that more schemes benefit from the best possible design advice.
The eight regional design review panels that have affiliated to CABE are those in the South East (run by the Kent Architecture Centre); the South West (run by Creating Excellence); the North East (run by Ignite); the North West (run by Places Matter!); the West Midlands (run by MADE); the East Midlands (run by Opun); the East of England (run by Inspire East); and Yorkshire and Humber (run by Integreat Yorkshire).