Building for Life winners announced

The developers of all of the winning projects have displayed a commitment to high design standards and good place making.

On the face of it, they're an eclectic mix - suburban homes in Reading; a Somerset eco-village; a traditional Cotswolds development; and the epitome of contemporary London living. Yet as this year's Building for Life winners, their developers have displayed one thing in common - a commitment to high design standards and good place making.

Waterstone Park in Kent takes full advantage of its Thames views. Landscape architects were used with great success at Upton in Northampton. Atelier units mix commercial and residential activity at Allerton Bywater in West Yorkshire.

Announcing the winners, Building for Life chair Wayne Hemingway pointed out that the quality of this year's wining housing schemes shows that developers and planning authorities are eminently capable of getting together and delivering great places and homes that can lift the spirit. 'Which makes it even sadder that there are so many examples of poor new homes and new housing developments that fall far short of that' he said.

Building for Life is the national standard for well-designed housing and neighbourhoods. It is led by CABE and the Home Builders Federation. Since it was launched in 2002, 50 housing schemes have been awarded the Building for Life standard. Already English Partnerships, the Housing Corporation and some local authorities will only give approval to housing developments that meet this standard.

Yet more remains to be done to ensure that the schemes celebrated this year become the norm rather than the exception. CABE believes that unless there is a marked increase in the quality of new housing, over seven million people in England risk not getting the new homes they need by 2020. To this end CABE is calling on the government to follow its commitment to good design by embedding the Building for Life standard in the planning system.

The problem is that bitter experience has led the public to assume that new build homes will be a scar on their neighbourhood, rather than an asset to it. CABE chief executive Richard Simmons says 'Putting quality first offers the best chance of reducing the local and regional objections that often delay the planning process and slow down the release of land. We need three million homes, not least to house the nurses and teachers who will serve these new communities. But it's quality that will help unlock the numbers.'

The country has been here before. Half a century ago, Aneurin Bevan was a minister facing a similar housing crisis: 'In the face of so enormous a problem, there is a temptation to cut standards, to reduce size, to eliminate planning and design - anything for speed - but this would be a crime for which we, our children and grandchildren would pay for 50 years to come; it is a crime we must not commit."

It would be nice to think we can focus equally on quality and quantity between now and 2020. The numbers are hypnotic: 13 years, 3 million homes, for 7 million people. But wiser counsel needs to prevail. Something has to lead. CABE believes that if quality comes first, the numbers will follow.

Building for Life 2007 Winners

There were three Building for Life gold standard winners and six silver standard winners. The silver standard developments fulfilled 70 per cent of the criteria, while the gold standards met 80 per cent. These 20 criteria objectively measure the quality of a scheme's design and construction; its roads, parking and pedestrianisation; its environment and community; and its character.

Building for Life gold standards

The Russells, Broadway, Worcestershire

Chase Homes, Evesham and Pershore Housing Association, and Lapworth Partnership

Built on the site of a former Arts and Crafts furniture factory, The Russells is a development respectful of its Cotswolds setting, with great character and a superb new public square. The judges described it as 'a great piece of urbanism... real town building,' and praised its 'flexible meeting space.' Wayne Hemingway, Building for Life chair said: 'The people who've made this development happen are heroes. Good schemes need leadership and someone who cares - this has it in spades.'

Great Bow Yard, Langport, Somerset

Ecos Homes and Stride Treglown

An exemplary sustainable development of 12 homes built on the site of an old oil depot. Great Bow Yard demonstrates to the mainstream private sector that it is possible to build sustainable homes and still make a profit. 'A healthy place with healthy material,' was the judges' summary, continuing, 'you can imagine it'll be a happy place to live.'

Empire Square, Southwark, London

Berkeley Homes and Rolfe Judd Architects

A new London landmark thanks to its barometer beacon, Empire Square is a triangular mixed-use block comprising three buildings enclosing a dramatically sculpted pavilion. It replaces derelict warehouses, and the affordable and rental housing is carefully integrated with private dwellings. 'The specification is absolutely fantastic, there isn't a material they've used that won't look as good in 25 years.'

Building for Life silver standards

Waterstone Park, Greenhithe, Kent

Countryside Properties, Land Securities, and Gardner Stewart Architects

A housing scheme of simple contemporary elegance, care has been shown to take advantage of the Thames views from the hilltop site. The clear layout of the scheme is enhanced by higher buildings next to large open spaces and the corners of blocks. 'Very brave and bold, a really interesting out-of-town development.'

Visage and Swiss Cottage Cultural Centre, Swiss Cottage, London

Barratt, Dawnay Day. S&P Architects, and Terry Farrell & Partners

This mixed use redevelopment of obsolete leisure facilities has cleverly provided, via a public private partnership, a surprising number of high quality facilities for the local community. 'A regeneration success on a fantastic site... a brilliant \"street in the sky\" has been created by placing new units on top of the recreation centre.'

The Village, St Austell, Cornwall

Westco Properties, Restormel Borough Council and Midas Homes

An integral part of the St Austell regeneration programme, the range of house types and tenures are built to a high standard of craftsmanship and reflect the local existing houses. 'It looks like it's grown organically. The variation in styles, the road lay-out, and the streets all fit together very well.'

The Manor, Lower Earley, Reading

St James Homes and John Thompson & Partners

A lovely landscaped park creates a successful buffer zone between The Manor and the M4 traffic. A clear layout, a distinctive character and good quality specification combine to provide a well-designed suburban scheme. 'The Manor breaks the mould for Reading, very bold, and a local quality benchmark.'

Allerton Bywater (Area 3B), West Yorkshire

English Partnerships, Fleming Fusion, and PRP Architects

Bywater Court is an important addition to the former mining area Allerton Bywater, one of English Partnerships' seven Millennium Communities. This contemporary scheme includes atelier units which mixes commercial use amongst the residential activity. 'This scheme will reinvigorate the area, creating employment, entrepreneurship and a community.'

Upton (Phase 1, Site A), Northampton

English Partnerships, Paul Newman Homes and EDAW

A major town centre extension, the first phase of Upton consists of high quality material, streets and landscaping. 'Beautifully done, with great detailing. Landscape architects seem to have been deeply involved, it's like going to a garden centre!'