secure by design

In preparing the SPD for Designing for Community Safety we have been asked by the Police CPDA officers to introduce a planning requirement that all developments of 10 or more dwellings must meet Secure By Design and be certified by the Police. I would like to know if other London Boroughs have this planning requirement in place. We are concerned that this will not only conflict with other policies but could have an adverse impact on the streetscene if applied too rigidly. What are other London Borough's expereinces in dealing with CPDA offciers?
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Secure by design
Submitted by Mark Smith on January 11, 2007 - 11:34.
There has to be a balance struck between living in a prison and living in a well designed built environment with a limited risk of crime.................As the police and politicians keep telling us its the "perception" of crime that worries people as much as crime its self so I think that a high quality environment is in itself reducing the perception of crime Regards, Mark Brent Design and Regeneration team
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Secure By Design
Submitted by Paul Osborne on January 16, 2007 - 17:10.

In my experience there are 2 themes to be considered in Designing out Crime: ...

1. Target hardening, which is perhaps not a planning matter, and ....

2. Environmental (or Urban) Design, which definately is. Circular 1/2006 states: '87. PPS1 makes clear that a key objective for new developments should be that they create safe and accessible environments where crime and disorder or fear of crime does not undermine quality of life or community cohesion. Design and access statements for outline and detailed applications should therefore demonstrate how crime prevention measures have been considered in the design of the proposal and how the design reflects the attributes of safe, sustainable places set out in Safer Places- the Planning System and Crime Prevention (ODPM/Home Office, 2003).' .....

Considerations such as active frontages, passive surveillance, design of vibrant and secure pedestrian routes, lighting etc are all vital to creating safe and pleasant built environments and need to be considered at the planning stage. Failure to do so will create the sink estates of the 21st Century.....

Regards Paul Osborne Environmental Improvements Officer Exeter City Council paul.osborne@exeter.gov.uk t: 01392 265274

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Secure by design
Submitted by Jackie Morrison on January 11, 2007 - 11:30.
We certainly don't have that policy but we do have a very good working relationship with the Police who hold weekly surgeries here at which any development regardless of size can be put to them by DC officers for consideration. I think that process is more important than policy because, as you say, there are often conflicting priorities and a meeting such as this can help thrash those out.We expect the police to support us on appeal. I do not know if we have had a problem in this regard as yet but we do get written statements from them that we can use.
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Secure by design
Submitted by patrick.whitter on January 11, 2007 - 11:14.

LB Sutton's SPD on 'Designing Out Crime' (April 2005) contains the following guidelines (see extracts in blue) which are more or less consistent with the request of your Police CPDA officers to "introduce a planning requirement that all developments of 10 or more dwellings must meet Secure By Design and be certified by the Police".

In particular, Guideline DCR2 sets the requirement for design statements to demonstrate that major residential developments (10+ units) will deter crime, fear or crime and anti-social behaviour by reference to the Guidelines that follow in the remainder of the SPD. 'Secured by Design' standards are then cross-referenced in Guidelines DCR6, DCR41, DCR52, DCR53 and DCR54 - see below.

A full version of the SPD on 'Designing Out Crime'  can be viewed on the Sutton website at http://www.sutton.gov.uk/environment/suttondevelplan/designingcrime.htm

SPD SECTION 4: PROJECT PLANNING

Guideline DCR2 - Design Statements

The Council will require all Design Statements submitted by developers in support of major development proposals (10 or more residential units or on sites over 1 hectare), or located within environmentally sensitive areas, to demonstrate how the proposed designs and layouts will deter crime, fear or crime and anti-social behaviour in the area by reference to the Guidelines set out in this document. Where appropriate, the Council will require developers to show that they have taken account of the existing local context in terms of:

  • current levels of crime and antisocial behaviour in the area;
  • perceptions of crime and urban environmental quality amongst the local community;
  • activity levels in streets and public spaces at all times of the day and night
  • the extent of natural surveillance of properties, streets and public spaces;
  • any other local aspects affecting the application of Guidelines set out in this document

SPD SECTION 5: SURVEILLANCE
Residential Areas
Guideline DCR6 - Secured by Design
Developers should seek ‘Secured by Design’ accreditation in consultation with the Council and its Crime Prevention Design Advisers from the earliest stages of project planning

SPD SECTION 10: PARKING GUIDELINES

Guideline DCR41 - Access to and from Underground/ Under-Storey Car Parks

Underground or under-storey car parks should ensure that:

  • vehicular access points are electronically controlled (the use of simple pole barriers is not acceptable as they do not restrict pedestrian access)
  • external pedestrian entrances are kept separate from vehicular access points and gained internally via locked stairwells. All pedestrian access doors should comply with current ‘Secured by   Design’ specifications for external doors.


 
SPD SECTION 11: PHYSICAL PROTECTION MEASURES
Secured by Design
Para 11.2  One of the most effective ways to prevent property crime can be to make development as secure as possible through the introduction of ‘target hardening’ measures, for example in doors,     windows and gates. However, overly defensive measures, such as barbed wire on boundary walls, that adversely affect the quality of the local environment can increase the fear of crime by suggesting that an area is unsafe
Para 11.3   ‘Secured by Design’ is a Home Office initiative being promoted by the Police through the Association of Chief Police Constables (ACPO). The scheme is designed to reduce crime by encouraging the use of products in new and refurbished developments that improve resistance to crime. Comprehensive advice on physical protection measures for residential and commercial development can be found at www.securedbydesign.com.
 

Guideline DCR52 - Secured by Design

Developers should ensure that the design of dwellings and commercial developments have had regard to ‘Secured by Design’ guidance.

Guideline DCR53 - Doors, Gates and Locks

In new residential developments, access to backgardens, communal gardens, courtyards and private rear parking areas should be controlled to prevent easy unauthorised access by including doors, gates and locks from an accredited ‘Secured by Design’ license holder.

Guideline DCR54 - Access to Industrial Developments

Larger industrial developments should incorporate a manned gatehouse. Where this is not considered necessary, a physical or symbolic threshold should be incorporated to indicate the boundary between the public domain and where the estate begins. Access points to rear service areas should be fully secure with lockable gates. External storage areas should be designed to prevent easy unauthorised access and include substantial doors, gates and locks from an accredited ‘Secured by Design’ license 


I hope this is helpful. Please don't hesitate to give me a call on 020 8770 6297 if you have any further questions
 
regards
 
Patrick Whitter

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secure by design
Submitted by carey baker on January 11, 2007 - 11:04.
I would say that, while the Police's advice and observations on cases is always welcome, and may, proceduraly be written into local planning processes (and, indeed the corporate plan), the duty of the Local Planning Authority is to consider, weigh and balance often conflicting professional advice to achieve the best over-all result for its area.  Police design requests will, inevitably focus on crime control and this may prove at odds with other urban design, architectural and heritage design issues.
(Consider the loss of alcoves and frontage articulation, demands for solid shop shutters, ever higher levels of street lighting and CCTV cameras on every street (if we already don't have the latter!)  Any suggested 'certification process' would give potentially undue prominence to the Police's advice and could be used to undermine other equally - if not more - legitimate planning considerations.   Ultimately, crime isn't about buildings and structures - its about behaviour.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Mike

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secure by design
Submitted by carey baker on January 16, 2007 - 16:29.
In Hounslow the issues will be dealt with through the Plan making process, but no such policies are current or proposed. Policy and (in particular) conservation / urban design sections all support Mike Brown's comments  to you. Design, conservation and security are all material considerations that need to be given appropriate weight in relation to specific proposals.   Policy can't think of any example of a planning policy that is 'a requirement'.   There is always scope for the possibility of a flexible approach focusing on very special circumstances and each case on its merits.   What they seem to be requiring is more like building regs. but could have a deadening hand on many aspects of interest and detailed design.
Maggie Urquhart
Conservation and Urban Design Officer
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