WIREDGOV

A record number of 36 housing schemes have qualified for a Building for Life standard this year, up by a third from last year.

Rostron Brow won a gold standard in 2008

Despite difficult market conditions, the percentage of new housing schemes which were seen by assessors and achieved the standard rose from 19 per cent of the 125 Building for Life award entries in 2008, to 44 per cent 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.

Designer Wayne Hemingway, who chairs Building for Life, welcomed the rise in good quality housing schemes entered for the Building for Life awards. ‘There’s still a long way to go. Building for Life is the best way for everyone to understand design quality on the same terms, so the goal of seeing good ordinary homes everywhere can become a reality.’

Stewart Baseley, Executive chairman at HBF, says it is important to recognise and reward high quality design and the efforts being made by housebuilders. ‘This is the beauty of Building for Life. Developers are continually striving to improve design and especially in these challenging economic times, we should celebrate this achievement.’

2009 standards

Gold standards 2009

• Admiralty Quarter (South East)
• Angel Waterside (London)
• Banks Yard (London)
• Chimney Pot Park (North West)
• Printworks (London)
• East Central Rochdale HMR (North West)
• Highbury Square (London)
• Hornsey Road Baths (London)
• Lime Tree Square (South West)
• New Housing at Cross Street South (West Midlands)
• Queensbridge Quarter (London)
• Stadthaus (London)

Silver standards 2009

• Ashton-Under-Lyne (West End Phase 4) (North West)
• Bateman Mews (London)
• Canklow Woods Housing Development (Yorkshire and Humber)
• Church Street (London)
• City Quarter (London)
• Curwen Apartments (London)
• East End Community Village (South West)
• Geoff Marsh Court (London)
• Grand Union Place (London)
• Grange Road (South East)
• Granville, New Homes (London)
• Grover Close (East of England)
• Hirst Gardens (North West)
• Imperial Wharf (London)
• Ledbury Cottage Hospital (West Midlands)
• Norfolk Park Green Homes (Yorkshire and Humber)
• Pepys (London)
• Rivers Gate Walker (North East)
• St Paul’s Place (East of England)
• Stone Rise, Dulcie Close (South East)
• Tarling Regeneration (London)
• Trinity Watch (South West)
• Writtle Road (London)
• Yew Tree Lodge (London)

For more information visit the Building for Life website.