Quality Housing Growth in Leeds

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

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 Leader
of 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. . .
context for design in Leeds

Ensuring Quality
…creating value
ensuring quality

materials, character & geology in Leeds

map of character analysis areas

Sample – housing character analysis

‘hands on’ design workshop event (Oct 2013)

Leading by Example
The 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 Standards
Energy Efficiency
Design Quality
The Leeds Standard

Space Standards
Properties 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

Energy
Addressing fuel poverty, health
inequalities and addressing climate
change are key priorities for the
Council’s new home building
Design 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 Quality
Incorporating 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)

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…

Other Approaches in Leeds
Low 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 2006-2013
Dec 2006 ~ First chat amongst some friends about cohousing
2007 ~ Idea of ‘DIY cohousing project’ emerges between friends in Leeds,
Oxford and Newcastle
2008 ~ 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 launched
2010 ~ First members join // White Design Associates appointed as
architect // HCA/DECC grant awarded to use Modcell as construction route //
Resident-led design workshops with architect
2011 ~ Planning application submitted & permission granted // Tender
documents sent to three potential contractors // Lindum Group appointed as
main contractor
2012 ~ Last of 20 homes allocated // Work starts on site // Flying factory
‘community build’ takes place
March - May 2013. Residents move in

Conclusion
…lessons learned, next steps, continued
ambition
Define project KPIs to include design
quality from the outset
Use the word ‘Innovation’ with caution,
and define what it means
Provide 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

THANK YOU
delton.jackson@leeds.gov.uk

Quality Housing Growth in Leeds

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