Object

Representation ID: 10494

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: Bedfordshire Police

Agent: West Mercia OPCC

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Although BP welcome the aim of creating a safe built environment, it would be significantly strengthened through direct references to Secured by Design and reducing crime. In doing so, it would being Theme 4 into much closer alignment with:

• Paragraphs 8, 20, 35-37, 92 (b), 97 and 130 (f) of the National Planning Policy Framework (July 2021) (NPPF);

• Bedford Borough’s Sustainable Community Strategy 2009-2021 – Section 5;

• Bedford Borough Community Safety Partnership – Community Safety Partnership Strategic Plan – 2020-2023 – Vision; and

• Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (as amended).

Furthermore, National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) is very clear that:

‘Planning provides an important opportunity to consider the security of the built environment, those that live and work in it and the services it provides.

Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (as amended) requires all local, joint and combined authorities (as well as National Parks, the Broads Authority and the Greater London Authority) to exercise their functions with due regard to their likely effect on crime and disorder, and to do all they reasonably can to prevent crime and disorder. Crime for these purposes includes terrorism.’

Paragraph: 009 Reference ID: 53-009-20190722
Revision date: 22 07 2019

‘Good design that considers security as an intrinsic part of a masterplan or individual development can help achieve places that are safe as well as attractive, which function well, and which do not need subsequent work to achieve or improve resilience. However good security is not only about physical measures and design, it requires risks and mitigation to be considered in a holistic way…

‘Good design means a wide range of crimes from theft to terrorism are less likely to happen by making committing those crimes more difficult.’

Paragraph: 010 Reference ID: 53-010-20190722
Revision date: 22 07 2019

This has been expanded on by the National Model Design Code (July 2021) (Parts 1 and 2), which makes the following points:

• Page 32 – Paragraph 63 (iv) – Safety and Security – ‘All schemes should aim to create a safe and secure environment and provide a sense of security for all users. Where development is for or has potential for a significant concentration of people schemes should also consider appropriate and proportionate security measures.’

• Page 61 – Paragraph 144 – Secured by Design – ‘Neighbourhoods need to be designed to make all people feel safe and to reduce the incidents of crime in accordance with the recommendations of Secured by Design which includes guidance for housing, commercial space, schools, hospitals and sheltered accommodation. Support and advice is available from the police through a network of Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs) across the UK. Secured by Design advice incorporates proven crime prevention techniques and measures into the layout and design of places and spaces.