Hundred Houses Society properties awarded Secured by Design status

Six new homes built in Fallowfield, Chesterton were awarded 'Secured by Design' certificates by Cambridgeshire Police. The award means that the advice of the Police Architectural Officer was followed in the design and construction, including using secure door and window locks, robust frames and glass and avoiding dark corners and areas which are not overlooked.

Chief Superintendent Rob Needle presented the award to the Society's development manager, Roger Wilson, at a ceremony today at the Society’s office in Scotland Road. He said that "If more homes met the standards set by Hundred Houses we would have fewer crimes, and more importantly, fewer victims of crime".

Roger Wilson commented that the additional expense added to the cost of the homes was minor and the Secured by Design Certificate could lead to cheaper contents insurance for tenants.

The homes were funded by a grant from The Housing Corporation and private finance raised by Hundred Houses.

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Notes to Editors


1. More information at www.hhs.org.uk or by contacting Chris Jackson, Chief Executive on 01223 315036

2. The Housing Corporation is the government agency responsible for delivering new affordable homes and regulating 1,500 housing associations across England. Its current investment programme of £3.9 billion for 2006-2008 is its biggest ever and is set to provide around 80,000 new affordable homes from housing associations and private developers throughout the country. The Housing Corporation's website is www.housingcorp.gov.uk.

3. Hundred Houses Society manages 850 homes in Cambridge, and is building 50 more in Cambridgeshire and north Essex

4. Housing associations are grant funded by the Housing Corporation and raise money by bank and building society loans to buy land to build new homes

5. Regeneration of the Society's Fallowfield estate in east Chesterton started in 1998 and is due to be completed in 2009. The estate of 129 3-bedroom houses was built in 1937/1938 and redevelopment was chosen for unimproved houses as the most economic solution. It has also allowed a wider range of homes to be built, more suited to today's housing needs. For more information see www.hhs.org.uk

6. More information on crime prevention can be found at www.cambs.police.uk.