The winner of Secured by Design’s (SBD) National Building Approval Award 2020 is Stuart Ward.
SBD’s Approval (NBA) scheme is to aid those commissioning new build developments or refurbishment work to meet SBD’s physical security standards or achieve Building Regulation compliance for security in England, Scotland and Wales, whichever is appropriate. Hence it’s for developers and contractors as well as councils, housing associations and social landlords.
Signing-up developers to the benefits of SBD NBA can often take time, attending meetings and giving presentations; as developers commissioning building projects need to be convinced how NBA can help them. Thanks to Stuart, National Designing Out Crime Manager for Police Scotland, that Springfield Homes, of Scotland, became an SBD NBA member company.
Stuart was announced winner at ATLAS, SBD’s national training conference for Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs). He was presented with his award by Stephen Watson QPM, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Crime Prevention, pictured right; and Helen Ball, Assistant Commissioner (Professionalism), Metropolitan Police, pictured left. Stuart also received a commendation for his services to crime prevention and designing out crime.
Springfield Homes has two offices: at Larbert (Falkirk), between Edinburgh and Glasgow; and at Elgin in the north-east. Stuart was approached by their Elgin office and informed that they intended to build homes for social housing within their developments to SBD security standards. After many discussions, meetings and presentations, Stuart talked them through the process and they decided to become members. Having signed up Elgin, the team at Larbert, 170 miles by road to the south, were won over too and are now in the process of using the NBA scheme for their developments.
During the early stages of each, further discussions took place to advise on the measures needed to go beyond SBD’s Silver Award for physical security, such as doors, windows and locks, and achieve the SBD Gold Award, which introduces the surrounds and landscaping to make most use of natural surveillance, create defensible space and limit excessive through movement. These measures combine to make it more difficult to break in to property quickly and noiselessly, to increase chances of criminals being seen and to minimise escape routes and hiding places.
As Springfield’s developments were completed, inspections took place and each was found to have achieved the Gold standard. Springfield’s design and contracts team decided that the most appropriate progression for the various developments to achieve SBD’s Gold Award would be through membership of SBD NBA. The number of homes to date is around 80 and rising steadily. There have been no recorded crimes on the Elgin developments to October 2019.
On receiving his award, Stuart said: “I was surprised and delighted to receive this award and a commendation. I am pleased to say there is now a Divisional DOCO working in this area where there wasn’t before.”
Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie, (Partnerships, Prevention and Community Wellbeing) said: “This was an excellent piece of work by Stuart, who is widely recognised by his colleagues for his drive and commitment to reduce crime and enthusiasm to help build safer communities. As a result of Stuart’s work there are more safe and secure homes being built in Scotland, a development which will not only be appreciated by the residents moving into them, but also by Police Scotland too.”
