Quality Housing Growth in Leeds

Quality Housing Growth in LeedsHCA Seminar ~ 4th February 2015

Delton Jackson

Senior Urban Designer

Leeds City Council

Background & Context …demand for growth & a desire for quality

Ensuring Quality …creating value

Leading by Example …the Leeds Standard

Other Approaches …LILAC

Conclusion …lessons learned & next steps

Content

Background & Context…demand for growth & a desire for quality

The recently adopted Leeds Core Strategy sets out an ambition to build 70,000 new homes between 2012-2028.

Background & Context



Unfortunately developers routinely make the same mistakes in the design of places…





…and Members have had enough.





…and Members have had enough.

“Leeds is open for business, but not at any cost…”Councillor Peter Gruen, Deputy Leaderof the Council / Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, Planning & Personnel


locally & nationally

crucial ambitions

part of the bigger picture

“The Government attaches great importance to the design of the built environment. Good design is indivisible from good planning, and should contribute positively to making places better for people” (paragraph 56, NPPF,2012)

context for design in Leeds

“Permission should be refused for development of poor design that fails to take the opportunities available for improving the character and quality of an area and the way it functions”

National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 64(Department of Communities and Local Government - DCLG)

“Make the planning system more proactive!” The Farrell Review of Architecture

+ the Built Environment

Key Local & National Guidance

Government requirements





arranging, enabling, advocating, promoting, foreseeing, exploring, capturing, creating, drawing, establishing, improving, liaising, bringing together, interpreting, incorporating, engaging, managing, explaining, assessing, scoring, summarising. . .


Ensuring Quality…creating value

ensuring quality

Renaissance Leeds

Renaissance Leeds

housing diversity

materials, character & geology in Leeds

map of character analysis areas

Sample – housing character analysis

Sample – housing character analysis

‘hands on’ design workshop event (Oct 2013)

hypothetical site

layout to review

workshop - agreed outputs

workshop - agreed outputs

Leading by ExampleThe Leeds Standard …and getting the Process right

The council has an ambitious programme to build almost 1,000 new council homes over the coming years, the largest programme of new build since the early eighties;

Address housing need, but also to make a statement about the future of social housing in the city;

Excellence and innovation are central to the programme – we aim to achieve high standards in design, sustainability and energy efficiency;

Investment in housing growth is a key priority of the council – specifically, increasing housing choice and affordability;

Tackling poverty, including fuel poverty and health inequalities are other key priorities.

Leeds New Council House Build Programme

The Leeds Standard

Space StandardsEnergy EfficiencyDesign Quality

The Leeds Standard

Space StandardsProperties are flexible and allow for reconfiguration if required. This links to the challenge of meeting the increased demand for smaller units in certain localities which will assist to free up larger family houses. Further, housing will be sufficiently flexible to meet the changing needs of most households by adaptation of the interior fabric rather than the structure to accommodate aids and equipment.

The Leeds Standard – SPACE STANDARDS

EnergyAddressing fuel poverty, health inequalities and addressing climate change are key priorities for the Council’s new home buildingDesign solutions will deliver highly energy efficient properties to minimise running costs for tenants, and contribute to broader sustainability and wellbeing agendas.

The Leeds Standard - ENERGY

Site appraisal: examine wider context of the site – identify constraints and opportunities for sustainable development

Design / Orientation: maximise solar gain Fabric: Always ‘fabric first’ - high levels of insulation equals low energy

demand Airtightness / ventilation: High levels of air tightness / no draughts or

uncontrolled ventilation Heating: New properties should require little or no additional heating Hot water: meeting this requirement should be where investment in low

carbon system is prioritised Health: Fuel Poverty negatively impacts on a wide range of indirect and

direct health outcomes such as excess winter deaths, mental health, respiratory illnesses and arthritis.

Smart technologies: Properties should be digitally enabled to monitor consumption

Solar photovoltaics (PV): Each property should have integrated solar PV to provide electricity or be designed to allow easy retrofit.

Other issues: The opportunity exists for developers to demonstrate how new homes can showcase other aspects of sustainable design and construction including water efficiency, use of energy efficient and smart white goods, local sourcing of building materials etc.

The Leeds Standard - ENERGY

Design QualityIncorporating good urban design and layout, and building on existing standards such as Neighbourhoods for Living. In designing the site layout consideration is given to orientation to make best use of solar energy and external space including car parking, relationship of properties to gardens and open space.

The Leeds Standard – DESIGN QUALITY

The Leeds Standard – DESIGN QUALITY

Leeds City Council’s Urban Design Forum, chaired by John Thorp (Civic Architect) was set a challenge by Jean Dent (Director of City Development) in 2003: to get involved …to achieve the highest possible design quality for Secondary Schools and then for other projects in the PFI programme for Leeds ...…Mark Burgess took on this role of design championing (working closely with John Thorp – steering the Renaissance thinking for the city)

National perspective – there is a general lack of design quality delivered through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) process

Local perspective - Leeds City Council’s Public-Private Partnership Unit had an excellent track record for efficient procurement and success at gaining PFI credits (now over £1 billion – for schools, housing, extra care, waste, lighting, leisure, community services…)

PFI perceptions (national & local)

Leeds housing PFI

Leeds housing PFI

arranging, enabling, advocating, promoting, foreseeing, exploring, capturing, creating, drawing, establishing, improving, liaising, bringing together, interpreting, incorporating, engaging, managing, explaining, . . . . .

Design Champion’s Role• advocating design excellence for buildings and spaces

• promoting creative inter-disciplinary design teams

• exploring issues and creating inspirational drawings

• establishing the process with Management Teams

• liaising with Planning -- Development Control, Policy, Local Planning

• interpreting Education Leeds design requirements

• engaging with other design support -- CABE Representative, Civic Architect, LADI Representative

• managing design review and workshop sessions

• explaining design reviews with clear illustrated notes

• scoring submitted schemes

embedding design excellence…

LCC design champion process

Other Approaches in LeedsLow Impact Living Affordable Community [LILAC]

LILAC

"It is fantastic to see this kind of project starting in Leeds. It is something totally different for Leeds, and no doubt a project that will inspire others across the city to be involved in similar ideas. The project will provide additional affordable housing, which is certainly much needed. But more than this, it will allow people to be involved in building their own homes which will enable them to live the lifestyle of their choosing, with minimal impact on the environment.”

Councillor Peter Gruen, Deputy Leader

of the Council / Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, Planning & Personnel

Lilac Timeline 2006-2013Dec 2006 ~ First chat amongst some friends about cohousing2007 ~ Idea of ‘DIY cohousing project’ emerges between friends in Leeds, Oxford and Newcastle2008 ~ Leeds Ecovillage has meetings with councillors, funders, land owners // Name change to Lilac (Low Impact Living Affordable Community)Jan 2009 ~ Sites discussed with Leeds City Council // Lilac Mutual Home Ownership Society Ltd legally incorporated with five founding members // Lilac approach Leeds City Council about buying Wyther Park site // Leeds City Council offer support and exclusivity agreement // Lilac Project Development Plan launched2010 ~ First members join // White Design Associates appointed as architect // HCA/DECC grant awarded to use Modcell as construction route // Resident-led design workshops with architect2011 ~ Planning application submitted & permission granted // Tender documents sent to three potential contractors // Lindum Group appointed as main contractor2012 ~ Last of 20 homes allocated // Work starts on site // Flying factory ‘community build’ takes placeMarch - May 2013. Residents move in

LILAC - site

LILAC - site

LILAC – approved plan

LILAC

LILAC – street scenes

LILAC – communal spaces

Conclusion…lessons learned, next steps, continued ambition

Define project KPIs to include design quality from the outsetUse the word ‘Innovation’ with caution, and define what it meansProvide a very clear brief, and be prepared to work in partnership for clarity and delivery – everyone working together – all on same side

conclusion

New Procurement Routes being developed to get outside the bind of existing frameworks, enabling specialist providers to bid to deliver quality and higher spec housing (CfSH Level 6, Passivhaus standards, etc)

New housing delivery team being created

Willingness to spend more and get fewer units if those units are of a higher quality

Ambition to ensure new housing is robust and adaptable to changing needs over time

conclusion

the value of design

THANK YOU

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Government & Nonprofit

Quality Housing Growth in Leeds