The police scheme Secured by Design (SBD) have launched a 43-page Specialist and Supported Housing Design Guide to sit alongside Homes 2023, SBD’s updated guidance for domestic properties.
Both documents cater for the security of new and refurbished homes, including those for disabled and older people, victims of domestic abuse or those with specific protected characteristics. The guides take in the latest security standards, developed to address emerging criminal methods of attack, and includes references to the Building Regulations and other statutory requirements across the UK.
Covered mainly are doorsets, doors and windows; besides door chains and viewers, glazing, loft hatches, lighting, emergency door release devices, intruder alarms and video surveillance.
Michael Brooke, Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (PCPI) that oversees SBD and other schemes says: “We have become increasingly aware of the need to consider adapted, accessible and inclusive housing and neighbourhoods in our advice, so as not to create additional barriers for disabled and older residents. Such inclusive design aims to remove barriers that create undue effort and separation and ensure all buildings, places, and surrounding spaces can be easily and comfortably accessed and used by everyone.
“The requirements and recommendations within this guide have been developed by SBD with various standards owners and trade associations and are based upon sound research findings that have proven to deliver significant crime reductions and cost efficiency savings for a wide range of stakeholders including local authorities, housing associations, landlords, residents and the police service.”
You can download the document at the SBD website: https://www.securedbydesign.com/images/logos/Specialist_and_Supported_Housing_Schemes.pdf.
Background
UK housing developers can achieve SBD awards for including crime prevention measures and techniques into their developments in all kinds of building sectors, such as residential, education, health, transport, commercial, retail, sport and leisure. These awards are gained by working with SBD’s trained police Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs), who advise architects, developers and local authority planners long before construction begins – and continue to provide advice and guidance until the development is complete. This service is provided free.
One million homes and commercial properties have been built to SBD standards – that’s 30 per cent of all new homes built since 1989, SBD report. Visit https://www.securedbydesign.com/.
Photo by Mark Rowe; Cornwall.
