Housing Association Guide Part 3 Appendix 1 - Design Requirements for Housing AssociationsContents
1.00 Introduction
This Appendix lists - in checklist form – the Department for Social Development’s (DSD’s) design requirements for all social housing schemes that receive Housing Association Grant (HAG) or utilise Disposal Proceeds Funds. The aim of social housing for rent is to provide suitable quality housing stock for people with housing needs, at affordable rents and within value for money criteria. 1.01 Guidance
The guidance is applicable to self-contained housing provision for General Needs and Supported Housing use. Guidance is also provided on Category 1 and Category 2 accommodation for the Elderly and on shared accommodation for General Needs or Supported housing use.
1.02 The Design Objective
Is to ensure that Associations receiving Housing Association Grant (HAG) or utilising Disposal Proceeds Funds, produce well designed social housing and that the end product will:
- Provide housing accommodation suitable for the intended need-group, set in a safe, secure and visually attractive environment;
- Contribute to policies on sustainability, regeneration strategies, and a stable and balanced community;
- Cater as far as possible, for tenants’ present and future needs by the provision of accessible/lifetime homes environment to ensure the home is flexible, adaptable and accessible;
- Provide a user-friendly quality product of sufficient size, and with account taken of arrangement, safety and security, energy efficiency, fittings and equipment, construction etc, that will aim to deliver tenant satisfaction, and pride and participation in the care of the dwelling and its environs; and
- Strike an appropriate balance between the capital and maintenance costs of various design solutions and use of construction materials.
1.03 Meeting the design objective
In order to meet the design objective, Associations should incorporate, where relevant, the following:
- Essential Items in their development brief.
- Recommended Items should also be considered by Associations and incorporated in the development brief only where the Association considers it appropriate to do so.
1.04 Further Guidance
Guidance is provided for Associations on selected Essential and Recommended Items
2.00 Site Appraisal
The location and site fully considered, i.e.: Essential Items
a. Site appraisal undertaken.
b. Adequate site investigation undertaken.
c. Any adverse site conditions fully explored.
d. Location of the site convenient and appropriate to the need.
2.01 Recommended Item:
a. Community evaluation undertaken.
2.02 Further Guidance:
a. Guidance on Site Appraisal is included at Annex A.
3.00 Accommodation Types
The design brief includes for: Essential Items
a. Design considerations and adequate ‘benchmark’ TCI area/cost band selected for the dwelling form, occupancy and need-group, i.e.
- General Needs;
- Wheelchair Housing
- Elderly (Category 1 and Category 2) Housing;
- Supported Housing
3.01 Further Guidance:
a. Guidance on Accommodation Types is included at Annex B.
4.00 Accessibility / lifetime homes environment.
The design brief includes for: Essential Items
a. All new build (A&W) bungalows, ground floor flats, flats served with a lift and 2 and 3-storey houses designed to lifetime homes criteria.
b. Where practicable, first floor flats without a lift also designed to lifetime homes criteria.
c. Wheelchair Housing designed to meet ‘wheelchair’ accessibility criteria.
d. Elderly: Category 1 & Category 2 dwellings designed to meet ‘elderly’ accessibility criteria.
e. Supported Housing and shared housing environments designed to meet appropriate accessibility criteria as necessary.
4.01 Recommended Item:
a. In first floor flats situations without a lift, the stairs should be designed to allow a future stairlift to be provided.
b. 1200x1200mm level area provided at main entrances.
c. Space for turning a wheelchair in a kitchen.
d. Outward opening doors to bathrooms and wc’s fitted with special locks openable from the outside.
e. The design should preferably incorporate a straight-flight, dog-leg or ‘L’ shaped stairs with adequate space top and bottom for chair parking provision for a future stair lift.
f. Fully accessible automatic heating system controls.
4.02 Further Guidance:
a. Guidance on Accessibility/Lifetime Homes is included at Annex C.
5.00 External Environment
The design brief includes for: Essential Items:
a. Site potential and housing density optimised.
b. Landscaping, where provided, appropriate for the location.
c. Site layout provides a convenient, safe and secure environment for vehicular and pedestrian access and circulation.
d. Main paths convenient and well lit.
e. Play areas, where provided, appropriate, safe and convenient for use.
f. Car parking to be either in-curtilage or in small groups of communal spaces within sight of windows in habitable rooms or within a secure compound/ basement.
g. Site layout takes account of defensible space by:
- Clear delineation between public and private spaces;
- Rear access paths/public open space avoided where possible;
- Semi-private and private open space provided as appropriate.
h. External clothes drying facilities, access path, water tap and outside light provided where appropriate.
i. Adequate facilities for refuse storage/collection, fuel delivery/storage and external storage, if required.
j. Account taken of major noise pollution sources.
5.01 Further Guidance:
a. Guidance on Internal Environment is included at Annex D.
6.00 Internal Environment
The design brief includes for: Essential Items
a. Access:
- Wheelchair accessible lift provided 4 storeys and over
b. Circulation:
- Access to all main rooms from a circulation area or kitchen (except a kitchen may open off a living room);
- Access to main bathroom and WC from a circulation space or ventilated lobby;
- Adequate space to move large items of furniture;
- Stairs rise from circulation area, in straight flights, dog-leg or ‘L’ shaped without winders or tapered treads;
- Ground floor corridors not less than 900mm;
- Roof space access not located over the head of stairs.
c.Living area:
- Adequate space for normal living activities;
- Relationship of rooms contribute to sound insulation;
- Window placed so that a seated person can see out.
d.Dining area:
- Adequate space for dining activities.
e. Kitchen area:
- Kitchen has (direct) convenient access to the dining area;
- Kitchen has convenient access to living areas and the dwelling entrance;
- Adequate space provided for cooking, food storage and preparation and clothes washing/drying (unless this function is provided elsewhere);
- Kitchen provides work sequence unbroken by a door, through circulation or tall fitments;
- Sink, drainer and high and low enclosed storage provided;
- Cooker space not positioned under or immediately adjacent a window;
- Worktop 600mm minimum depth and 300mm minimum length, including the distance from the cooker to any corner unit;
- Minimum 1000mm clear in front of kitchen units (1200mm between units);
- Fridge space provide at the end of a worktop (600mm opening);
- Washing machine space provided (except where provide elsewhere);
- Tall storage provided for cleaning equipment (except where provide elsewhere).
f. Bedrooms:
- Adequate space for beds, bedroom furniture and circulation;
- Bedroom layout avoids beds directly under windows.
g. Bathroom:
- Bath, WC and washbasin provided;
- Separate WC and washbasin provided (5-person and above, self-contained);
- Adequate provision for shared environments etc;
- Adequate space for fittings and use;
- Bathroom/WC doors capable of being opened from the outside in an emergency;
- Bath not positioned directly under a window.
h. Storage:
- Enclosed linen storage of 0.5m3 provided with suitable heat source;
- General storage provided (including provision for garden equipment, where required);
- Fuel storage (where required) and refuse storage provided.
i. Noise and Ventilation/Air Quality:
- Account taken of airborne and impact noise;
- Account taken of ventilation/Air quality;
- Account taken of lighting/day lighting.
6.01 Recommended Item
a. Circulation
- Access to main bathroom and WC from a circulation space or ventilated lobby.
6.02 Further Guidance:
Guidance on Internal Environment is included at Annex E.
7.00 Safety
The design brief includes for: Essential Items
a. Slip resistant floor finishes in kitchens, bathrooms and communal internal access spaces/stairs..
b. Steps and stairs that can be safely negotiated. Tapered steps should be avoided, but where unavoidable in general needs dwellings should be positioned only at the bottom of the flight.
c. Adequate natural and/or artificial lighting for safety purposes. Two-way switches provided where required and lighting points so positioned as to be easily accessible for bulb replacement.
d. Kitchen and bathroom arrangement safe.
e. Hot water supply is thermostatically controlled to all shower installations, and to all baths in Elderly Category 1 and 2 dwellings. In supported housing, the provision of thermostatically controlled hot water supply to baths and washbasins etc, appropriate to the need.
f. Windows above first floor level capable of being cleaned from inside the building except where alternative window cleaning arrangements in operation.
g. Window/balustrade design minimises the risk to children, adults and the elderly and all windows provided with restrictor stays to limit initial opening to 100 mm.
h. Low-level glazing meets the Building Regulations (NI) Technical Booklet ‘V’ Glazing.
i. Lockable medicine cabinet or store provided out of the reach of children.
j. Where solid fuel appliances or fixed electric fires are provided in living rooms, fixing for the provision of adequate guards should be provided.
7.01 Recommended Item:
Hot water supply to all baths in family dwellings is thermostatically controlled.
7.02 Further Guidance:
Guidance on Safety is included at Annex F
8.00 Security
The design brief includes for: Essential Items:
New build, (major) rehabilitation and (major) re-improvement schemes meet Secured by Design (SBD) criteria.
8.01 Further Guidance:
Guidance on Secured by Design (SBD) criteria is included at Annex G
9.00 Energy, sustainability and services
The design brief includes for: Essential Items
a. Cost-effective energy efficient measures incorporated.
b. Efficient heating system provided.
c. In new build self contained (A&W and Works Only) schemes, Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3 or better certified by an licensed and registered Code Assessor
d. In new build (A&W and Works Only) schemes where the Code does not apply, Eco Homes 2006 or approved equivalent at ‘very good’ rating or better certified by a BRE licensed assessor or equivalent.
e. In (major) rehabilitation and (major) re-improvement schemes, Eco Homes 2006 or approved equivalent at ‘good’ rating or better certified by a BRE licensed assessor or equivalent.
f. Energy Performance Certificates (EPC’s) for all new construction and buildings being sold / purchased on open market (exact dates to be announced).
g. A Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) rating and a Carbon Index (CI) for each dwelling in accordance with SAP 2005.
h. Adequate provision of building services, including socket outlets, lighting points etc.
9.01 Further Guidance:
Guidance on Energy, Sustainability and Services is included at Annex H
10.00 Building Practice
The design brief includes for: Essential Items
a. Account taken of durability and performance in the selection of building materials and components.
b. Account taken of good building practice and ease and cost of maintenance.
c. Service installations should be easily accessible for routine maintenance and repair.
d. Material specification takes account of the Construction Products Directive.
10.01 Further Guidance:
Guidance on Building Practice is included at Annex I
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