Recent meetings between HBF and English Partnerships have revealed EP's intention to apply technical standards to new 'Millenium Community' developments in excess of those required under Building Regulations. Following comments received from TDC Members, HBF has established a task group to discuss these proposals with EP and has prepared a list of comments and issues that the industry would wish EP to address. The Millennium Community Standards include a 20% 'better' than Part L target, a 20% reduction in water usage, a 10% improvement on Part E (!), Parker Morris type space standards and even a 10% increase in daylight standards. Many of these appear to be very aspirational, some may bring increased technical risks, some might conflict with PPG3 recommendations - most will incur increased build costs. In essence, they are not unlike the sort of initiatives proposed in the Mayor's Plan for London, and the National Assembly for Wales, although they are interestingly different in some respects (for instance the usual desire for higher-than-Building-Regs wheelchair and accessibility standards appears to be missing). HBFs detailed comments on these proposed new standards are attached. The next step will be to meet with EP representatives to examine the feasibility of these, fairly arbitrary, higher targets. HBF would be pleased for further volunteers to participate in this review and/or attend one or two meetings in London to examine these standards.
