Four out
of five buyers of new build houses and flats have to settle
for ‘mediocre’ properties according to CABE, the Commission
for Architecture and the Built Environment as it publishes the
results today (Monday 11th October) of the first phase of the
biggest ever audit of housing developments in England and
calls on new home buyers to be more demanding.A new
website,
www.thehomebuyersguide.org, launched by CABE to
coincide with the audit's publication, is designed to give new
home buyers clear information on what to look out for when
purchasing a home and to encourage them to ask tough questions
of estate agents and house builders.
The audit reveals that:
- 22% of the schemes were judged ‘poor’
- a further 61% are ‘average’
- 17% are ‘good’ or ‘very good’
Planners, developers and highways engineers give too much
prominence to car parking and roads, and rarely use local
materials that can help create a sense of place and character,
says the report. The audit also concludes that the conflicts
which arise between developers and planning departments in
local authorities frequently lead to developers 'following the
path of least resistance.' This stifles the creativity and
design quality of what is built. The audit investigated 100
new housing developments across London, the South East and
East of England and scored them on their design and
suitability for the area where they were built.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said:
‘Quality is as important as quantity in creating
sustainable communities that will stand the test of time.
This audit shows that some house builders know the real
value of investing in excellent design. Now it's time for
the rest to catch up with the best.’
‘We see standards improve where Local Authorities and house
builders work closely together. For example Chelmsford had
a clear idea about the development required, and close
collaboration with developers led to significant
improvements in architecture and urban design.’
CABE believes these findings suggest that the challenge for
the one million new homes planned for London and the South
East by 2016[1] and the much larger number planned throughout
England is to deliver quality not just quantity.
Richard Simmons, CABE Chief Executive said:
‘Many of the house builders in our audit have received
awards for the quality of their best schemes. They have
shown it is possible. The challenge is to be excellent all
the time. What is now the best in new home design must
become the norm. None of us should settle for mediocre.’
John Slaughter, Director of External Affairs for the House
Builders Federation said:
‘The report shows that the industry is responding to the
design agenda. The glass is half full rather than half
empty, but we recognise the challenge to do more. There is a
need for all parties to work together to create a climate
that facilitates good design and enables us to bring the
customer with us.’
Individuals can use the website to check if their own new
home is included in the survey, which names each location and
the developer involved. The public can also nominate their
estate or development to be included in later phases of the
audit by CABE. The site is also designed to inspire new home
buyers by identifying exciting, well-designed developments of
the kind that are regularly recognised by CABE through the
Building for Life Awards.
CABE says the public often buy poor quality homes partly
because they do not know how to recognise designs that will
cause problems in the future. The website gives tips on how to
avoid similar pitfalls, says what people should look out for
when viewing new properties, and gives questions to ask estate
agents and staff in show homes.
The report also finds that the lack of skilled planners in
local councils results in poorly detailed proposals for an
area which means developers have too little guidance on the
best design or right materials.
In the light of these findings, the report calls for action
in four priority areas:
- Skills - local authorities need to be better skilled so
they can demand better design from the house-builders
- Car parking and highways - government should replace
outdated highways guidance to encourage integrated working
practices between highways engineers, urban designers and
house-builders
- Architectural design - house builders need to pay more
attention to the architectural quality, the character and
identity of their developments
- Co-ordination and implementation - local authorities
should use the guidance on design quality that exists and be
clearer about the developments they want to see; they then
need to work with house builders from the outset to ensure
good results are achieved
In response to the recommendations of the March 2004 Barker
Report on Housing Supply, the House Builders Federation and
CABE are also discussing the establishment of a code of best
practice in the external design of new houses.
Notes:
- Housing Audit: Assessing the Design Quality of New Homes
- Phase one of the audit launched today looks at 100
schemes completed by volume house builders between 2000 -
2003 across London, The South East and East of England. CABE
plans to cover the whole of the UK over the next two years.
The audit was undertaken by EDAW consultants. Copies of the
report are available to download at -
www.thehomebuyersguide.org
- The Home Buyer’s Guide, recently launched by CABE,
offers practical advice on what to look and ask for in terms
of design, sustainability, materials, space and light,
location, neighbourhood. It is published by Black Dog
Publishing (£7.99 paperback).
CABE
- CABE champions the creation of great buildings and
public spaces. It is a non-departmental public body set up
by the Government in 1999. Through public campaigns and
support to professionals, CABE encourages the development of
well-designed homes, streets, parks, offices, schools,
hospitals and other public buildings -
www.cabe.org.uk
Building for Life
- BfL is a tripartite initiative between CABE, the House
Builders Federation and the Civic Trust, chaired by Wayne
Hemingway, to promote design excellence and celebrate best
practice within the house building industry.
