The Oren Receives Secured by Design ATLAS Retirement Development Award

The development, which previously achieved an SBD Gold Award, comprises 46 residences with 48 parking spaces and secure cycle storage. Metropolitan Police Service Designing Out Crime Officer (DOCO) Steve Downing worked closely with the local planning authority, architects and developers throughout the project to ensure security was embedded into the scheme while maintaining an attractive and welcoming environment for homeowners.

Bordering Hampstead Heath in the affluent Childs Hill area of London, the development sits within a ward where residential burglary has historically been a significant concern. During the planning process, representations were made to the local planning authority requesting that Secured by Design be included as a planning condition. Although the condition ultimately required only a statement demonstrating how SBD principles could be met, rather than full accreditation, ongoing engagement between the developer, design team and DOCO helped steer the scheme towards achieving full SBD Gold Award standards.

The site was assessed holistically, with security measures carefully tailored to address the specific risks associated with the location and the needs of retirement living. As the development was not gated at street level, a layered approach to security was adopted, incorporating robust physical security at all access points and ground floor apartments.

Crime prevention advice also influenced the design of the landscaped gardens surrounding the building. A combination of tiered landscaping and carefully designed fencing was introduced to reduce opportunities for unauthorised access while preserving the attractive appearance of the development. Secure access control, a protected postal lobby, monitored CCTV and enhanced security within the large basement car park were also incorporated to help safeguard residents and their property.

One of the key challenges during the project centred on balancing security with the sense of community the retirement development sought to create. Secured by Design guidance would ordinarily recommend security compartmentation throughout a development of this size. However, the client wished to avoid measures that could restrict homeowners from visiting friends living on different floors.

Working collaboratively with the project team, Steve introduced a series of security measures including multiple layers of access control at ground level, secure residential cores, monitored CCTV in key locations and compartmentation for the penthouse apartments. This risk-based approach maintained high security standards while supporting the social interaction and independence that are central to successful retirement living.

The effectiveness of the development's security measures is reflected in its crime record. Despite being located within a ward that recorded 538 anti-social behaviour incidents, 217 other theft offences, 204 vehicle crimes and 139 burglaries over a 12-month period, there have been no reported crimes, incidents of disorder or anti-social behaviour recorded within The Oren since completion.

The award submission highlighted the development as an excellent example of how Secured by Design principles can be applied flexibly to meet the specific needs of retirement living. By balancing robust physical security with an environment that promotes independence, wellbeing and community interaction, The Oren demonstrates how thoughtful collaboration can create a safe and welcoming place for homeowners to enjoy later life.

Steve Downing, DOCO, said: “I was delighted that The Oren was recognised for and awarded the ATLAS Retirement Development Award at this year’s presentation. This is a great example of collaboration with all parties from the outset to help to ensure that the project can successfully deliver against Secured by Design crime prevention principles. Early and continuous consultation with myself was crucial in understanding Elysian Residences vision for The Oren whilst keeping the site on track to achieve the highest standard of SBD certification. Well done!”

Gavin Stein, CEO of Elysian Residences, commented: "We take great pride in this award and in the safety of homeowners at The Oren. Feeling at ease in your own home should never be something you have to think about. Working alongside Steve Downing and our design team, we are pleased to have achieved a sociable community with a genuinely high standard of security, ensuring homeowners can live life on their terms."

The ATLAS Development Awards recognise developments that demonstrate excellence in designing out crime and creating safe, secure environments through effective partnership working and the application of Secured by Design principles.

DOCO Steve Downing was presented the award at the annual Secured by Design ATLAS conference by Police CPI CEO Guy Ferguson and Chief Constable Lauren Poultney of South Yorkshire Police.

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. 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 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)

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.