Cardiff Regeneration Project Wins ATLAS Award for Safe Social Housing

Part of a multi-million-pound initiative to regenerate areas of Cardiff, the project involved the demolition of a former Radio craft electrical shop to make way for 10 one-and-two bedroom flats along with a secure bike storage for social housing use.

Throughout the process Designing out Crime Officer (DOCO), Julie Odgers of South Wales Police, played a key advisory role from the project’s inception through to the first tenants moving in. She developed strong working relationships with the architects, Chamberlain Moss King, and the Housing Association, Taff Housing. Her input led to the installation of a 2.0-metre-high railing and gate at the rear of the property which backs onto public open space. Her attention to detail meant that she ensured high standards were maintained, including the refitting of communal doors which didn’t close properly and the reinstallation of doors on the bike store that had been removed.

The flats were not only built to ‘design out crime’ with SBD accredited doors, locks and windows but they are also low carbon and energy efficient. All the properties have innovative technologies installed throughout such as solar panels, batteries, mechanical ventilation and heating systems to help keep energy costs down for social housing tenants.

Located on Cowbridge Road the new social housing flats are already making a difference to tenants lives. The local wards of Riverside and Pontcanna typically receive 180 crime reports a month, including incidents of violence, shoplifting and vehicle theft. There has been no crime reported at Cwrt Alaw during the building and occupation phases.

Julie Odgers commented, “We worked closely with the architect, Housing Association, and contractor throughout this scheme, and it has been finished to a very high standard. It was a pleasure to award a Gold Secured by Design award (which incorporates the security of the external environment together with the physical security specification of the home), and a lovely surprise to achieve an ATLAS Award in February 2025 for the scheme.

“Having worked as a police officer and a Designing out Crime officer in Cardiff, I appreciate the benefits of designing developments that have been built to Secured by Design Standards. Our independent academic research shows that SBD housing developments experience up to 87% less burglary, 25% less vehicle crime and 25% less criminal damage. It also has a significant impact on anti-social behaviour. I look forward to working in partnership with those involved in the future.”

Architects Chamberlain Moss King said, ”We’re delighted that the former Radiocraft site in Canton - now known as Cwrt Y Alla - has successfully achieved Secured by Design Gold accreditation.

“Delivered on a particularly challenging infill site, the development comprises two three-storey buildings, providing ten much-needed affordable flats alongside a new commercial unit. The scheme was developed in close collaboration with South Wales Police and their Designing Out Crime Officers, ensuring that community safety and security were embedded from the outset.

“This achievement reflects the team’s commitment to delivering thoughtful, high-quality design in complex urban settings, with social value and long-term resilience at its core.”

What is Secured by Design?

Secured by Design (SBD) is the official police security initiative that works to improve the security of buildings and their immediate surroundings to provide safe places to live, work, shop and visit.

SBD’s product based accreditation scheme – the Police Preferred Specification - provides a recognised standard for all security products that can deter and reduce crime.

There are currently many hundreds of companies producing thousands of attack resistant crime prevention products, across 30 different crime categories, which have achieved Police Preferred Specification.

Improved security 

Developers around the UK can achieve SBD awards for incorporating crime prevention measures and techniques into their developments in all kinds of building sectors, such as residential, education, health, transport, commercial, retail, sport and leisure. Indeed, SBD can be used as evidence to discharge third-party obligations under Part Q of Schedule 1 (Security) to the English Building Regulations, the Scottish Building Standard 4.13 (Security) and Welsh Building Regulations Part Q (Security – Dwellings). These awards are gained by working with police Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs), who advise architects, developers and local authority planners long before construction begins – and continue to provide advice and guidance until the development is complete.

Academic and other research shows that improving standards of security in brand new and refurbished properties, helps deter and reduce crime. Reducing crime and the fear of crime has direct links to better physical and mental well-being, such as with regard to high volume crimes like domestic abuse. 

The built environment influences the behaviour of people who work, live, socialise or simply pass through. SBD seeks to create environments where the law-abiding feel safe and secure whilst at the same time causing the criminal or anti-social to feel vulnerable to detection and thereby influence behaviour in a positive way. This continues to be a key objective for SBD.

Find out more about SBD Developers Awards here.

SBD Design Guides

SBD has produced a series of authoritative Design Guides to assist the building, design and construction industry to incorporate security into developments to comply with the Building Regulations in England, Scotland and Wales and meet the requirements of SBD.

These Design Guides, available to download for free at the SBD website, have been updated over the years to keep pace with changing patterns of criminal behaviour and advances in building design and new technology.

They are a valuable source of reference to architects, developers, self-builders, local authority planners and police officers and cover a range of building sectors, including residential, education, health, transport and commercial. 

Police Designing Out Crime Officers

DOCOs provide specialist crime reduction advice to the public, businesses and colleagues about premises or property security. They also work with building developers, architects, and council planning departments regarding new developments and refurbishments, to 'design out' crimes like burglary and anti-social behaviour (ASB) by providing advice on street lighting, building and street layout, entrances and exits - as well as preferred standards and specifications for doors, windows, and locks, under the Secured by Design initiative.

DOCOs are able to deliver site specific interventions required to help design out crime in areas that suffer disproportionately from acquisitive crime, based on local crime pattern analysis, police, local authority and community engagement and the collective knowledge and experience of how criminals behave.

DOCOs are specialist problem solvers, working every day to make a positive difference, changing lives for the better and helping people to be safe and secure in their homes.

Contact details for local DOCOs can be found here.