Kickstart homes quality failings exposed – list

Aaron Morby 15 years ago
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The Government has unveiled a controversial house builders league table revealing the best and very worst schemes funded under the kickstart programme.

The league table reveals that major house builders like Persimmon, Barratt, Bellway, Gentoo and Galliford Try had schemes that scored less than 5 out of 20 under the Building for Life quality scale.

The worst schemes scoring two or under came from Kier, Miller Homes and Taylor Wimpey.

The assessments were carried out by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) on behalf of the HCA. Earlier this year there was controversy over the decision not to make these scores public.

The tables show that the second wave of kickstart project were of a slightly higher standard than the first projects to be Government supported.

In the first round developments achieved an average score of just nine out of 20 on the BfL assessment, the second round of schemes averaged better at almost 12.

Cabe considers any building scoring below 10 to be of poor quality, while those above 14 are judged good.

Housing Minister Grant Shapps welcomed publication of key design assessments of the Kickstart programme, describing their release as a necessary step in opening up Government records to the public.

Following a request from the Information Commissioner, the HCA published the Building for Life assessments for Round 1 and Round 2 Kickstart projects – given the green light between September 2009 and July 2010.

Grant Shapps said: “We are transforming Government at all levels by opening up our records to the public. Openness may be uncomfortable for some but we know that proper public scrutiny will lead to far better decisions – and save money as well.

“So I welcome that this important element of assessment of Kickstart housing projects is now finally publicly available. This is the right thing to do and something I strongly agree with.

“Government needs to lead by example so this is a necessary step in opening up all public records.”

The league table was released along with the Housing and Communities Agency’s review of the £295m second phase of Kickstart in which it found the average Building for Life score was 12, compared to 9 in the first phase.

Trevor Beattie, director of place making at the HCA, said: “As our lessons learned document shows, we worked with partners to learn from the experience of Round 1 and improved Round 2.

“The net result is that the Agency has helped maintain housing supply and communities have the homes they said they needed and wanted.”

Kickstart project league building for life scale

Kickstart programme one
Kickstart programme two

Project Name Local Authority Area CABE Score
Clapham One Notting Hill Housing Trust (Leisure Centre) * Lambeth 19
Silkworks, Berkeley Group Lewisham 18
Rathbone Market, English Cities Fund Newham 18
St George’s Estate Regeneration sites 1, 4, 5, 6, 7,10, Tower Hamlets 17.5
Clapham One, Notting Hill Housing Trust (Leisure Centre) * Lambeth 17.5
PH2 Ker St, Devonport, Plymouth Plymouth 17.5
Hertford Road, London, Metropolitan Housing Trust Hackney 17
C2-Clapham Park, Metropolitan Housing Lambeth 17
Woodcock Street Phase 2, Hull Keepmoat Homes Kingston Upon Hull 17
Vision, Devonport, Redrow Plymouth 16.5
Caspian Wharf, Berkeley Group Tower Hamlets 16.5
Lymington Fields Ph 1A, Countryside Properties (UK) Barking and Dagenham 16.5
Hartopp/Viennese, Lovell Partnerships Liverpool 16.5
Plashet Grove, London & Quadrant Housing Trust Newham 16.5
The Warren, Berkeley Group Greenwich 16
Ingersley Vale, Ingersley Vale LLP Cheshire East 16
Williamson Place, Bellway Liverpool 16
Ice Plant, Northern Group Developments Manchester 16
PH1 Ker St, Devonport, Galiford Try Plymouth 16
Foxhill, Sheffield Artisan Home Co Sheffield 16
Portswood Road Scenario 1, Orchard Homes Southampton 16
Dolcoath Phase 1, Galliford Try Cornwall 15.5
Yarn Street 2, Miller Homes Leeds 15.5
Stone Grove, Barratt Developments Barnet 15.5
Lakeshore, Urban Splash Bristol UA 15.5
Saxton Gardens Leeds, Urban Splash Leeds 15.5
Yarn Street, Leeds Miller Homes Limited Leeds 15.5
Freshney Green, Grimsby Galliford Try Homes North East Lincolnshire 15.5
Alberta House , Swan New Homes Tower Hamlets 15.5
North Priory Regeneration, Bromford Carinthia HA Dudley 15
Kidbrooke Phase 1, Berkeley Group Greenwich 15
Stonebridge Park, LHA-ASRA Nottingham 15
Bede Estate Regeneration OP1,2,3,4, ( Mulatel LLP) Tower Hamlets 15
Royal Arsenal, Berkeley Homes(Urban renaissance) Greenwich 15
D1, Millbay, Galliford Try Plymouth 15
Park Centrale, Galliford Try Homes Southampton 15
Medway Depot Site, Fairview New Homes Tunbridge Wells 15
Leopold Estate, Countryside Properties Tower Hamlets 14.5
Parkwest, Berkeley Group Hillingdon 14
Locking Parklands St Modwen Properties North Somerset 14
Park Central, Crest Nicholson Birmingham 14
EASEL 5, Leeds Bellway Homes Ltd Leeds 14
Longlands, Urban Splash Group Tameside 14
Showell Park, Keepmoat Homes Wolverhampton 14
St Mary’s Island Countryside Properties Chatham 14
Beaufort Park, Berkeley Group Barnet 13.5
Royal Clarence Marina, Berkeley Group Gosport 13.5
Sarah Point, Ancoats, Manchester, UK Land and Property Manchester 13.5
Victory Pier, Medway Towns, Berkeley Homes Group Medway Towns 13.5
SnOasis SnOasis Housing Development Onslow Suffolk Mid Suffolk 13.5
Tower Wharf, Morris Homes Cheshire West and Chester 13.5
Cannon Street, Deal, Mildvalley Dover 13.5
St Mary’s Island, Countryside and Moat Homes* Medway Towns 13.5
Castletown, Gentoo Sunderland 13.5
Anfield Phase 2, Keepmoat Homes Liverpool 13
Phase 1 Homezone, Northshore, Stockton on Tees Stockton-on-Tees 13
The Quarter, Morris Homes Birmingham 13
Stonecastle South Parcel, Countryside/Moat Homes Dartford 13
Maine Place, Lowry Homes PLC Manchester 13
Tranmere Site E, Lovell Partnerships Wirral 13
West Hendon Barratts Barnet 12.5
Norse Road, Orbit Housing Group Bedford 12.5
Fieldways, Barratt Bath and North East Somerset UA 12.5
Liskerret Vale, Galliford Try Cornwall 12.5
Humberstone Lane, Leicester, Bovis Leicester 12.5
Wilford Place, Wilford, Barratt Developments Nottingham 12.5
Unity Mill, Countryside Properties (Northern) Rochdale 12.5
Unity Quarter, Salford, Miller Homes Salford 12
Port Lane, Bellway Colchester 12
Priors Hall, BeLa Partnerships Corby 12
The Old Hospital, Higgins Homes Maidstone 12
Camp Hill, Lovell Partnerships Nuneaton and Bedworth 12
Victory Works, Countryside Properties (Northern) Rochdale 12
Waterfront South, Jessup Brothers and Accord Walsall 12
St Thomas Gardens Phase 2(Pimhole), Prospect GB Bury 11.5
Euphoria, Strata Derby 11.5
Project Phoenix, Keepmoat Homes Ltd Hyndburn 11.5
Queensway House, Hollybrook Residential Developments Reigate and Banstead 11.5
Ironstone 2, Taylor Wimpey Telford and Wrekin 11.5
Terriers School, Barratt Developments Wycombe 11.5
Lydney, Gloucestershire, MMC Developments Forest of Dean 11
Abbey Park Road, Leicester, Morris Homes Leicester 11
EASEL 7, Leeds Bellway Homes Leeds 11
Advent Ph5, Eastbank,  Artisan Manchester 11
North Solihull Phase 2, Bellway (Henley Grange) * Solihull 11
Wichelstowe, Barratt Swindon 11
Tewkesbury, Bovis Homes Tewkesbury 11
North Solihull Phase 2 Midlands 11
Kingshill Cirencester, Berkeley (Market Rent) Cotswold 10.5
Victoria Gate, Prospect GB Knowsley 10.5
Norris Green, Countryside Properties Liverpool 10.5
Sites 7.4 & 7.5a, Miles Platting, Lovell Partnership Manchester 10.5
Greavestown Lane, Phase 1, Hollinwood Homes Preston 10.5
Park Street, Wombwell, Gladedale Barnsley 10.5
Manning Road, Larkfleet South Kesteven 10.5
Bow Cross,  Swan New Homes Tower Hamlets 10.5
Ellergreen Kickstart, New City Vision (Liverpool) Liverpool 10
Murcote Road, Prospect GB Liverpool 10
Masshouse Block M, Masshouse Developments Birmingham 10
Hazel Grove, Barratt Bristol UA 10
Varsity Grange, Radleigh Group Derby 10
Beacon Lane, Persimmon Exeter 10
Ings Site C Phase 2, Hull Chevin Housing Association Kingston Upon Hull 10
Gilead Redevelopment, Lovell Partnerships Liverpool 10
Oakham, Larkfleet Rutland 10
Coopers Edge, Persimmon Homes Tewkesbury 10
Lickey Road, Longbridge, St Modwen Birmingham 9.5
Holborough Lakes Berkeley Homes Tonbridge and Malling 9.5
Rosebery, Crest Nicholson Epsom and Ewell 9.5
Springfield School Scenario 1, Miller Homes Huntingdonshire 9.5
Saxon Park, Peterlee, Gladedale (Sunderland) County Durham 9
Repton Park Phase 25, Persimmon Homes South East Ashford 9
Atlip Road, Mount Anvil (Atlip Road) Brent 9
Little Stanion Parcel 3A, MHT and Lagan Homes Corby 9
Liberty Park, Wates Living Space Coventry 9
Windermere Park, Lovell Partnerships Rochdale 9
Batmans Hill Road, CALA Management Sandwell 9
Chapelford Phase 10, Barratt Developments Warrington 9
Kingston, Skerne Road, Crest Nicolson Kingston upon Thames 8.5
Priory Chase, Pontefract, Miller Homes Wakefield 8.5
Westminster Place, Bovis Homes Warrington 8.5
Eastfield Road, Bela Partnership Wellingborough 8.5
Essence, Galliford Try Bristol UA 8.5
North Weald , Crest Nicholson Epping Forest 8.5
Woodlands Park Darwen, Miller Homes Blackburn with Darwen 8
Willowfields Wesham, Miller Homes Fylde 8
Belle View, Hartlepool Housing Hartlepool Hartlepool 8
St Ives, Taylor Wimpey Huntingdonshire 8
Little Stanion Farm, Bovis Homes Corby 8
Windsor Road, Persimmon/Westbury Partnerships Redditch 8
Priory Park, Dudley, Lovell Partnerships Dudley 7.5
George Road, Miller Homes Birmingham 7.5
New East Manchester, Countryside Properties (Northern) Manchester 7.5
Thorney Road, Larkfleet Homes Peterborough 7.5
New Broughton, Countryside Properties (Northern) Salford 7.5
Charlton Hayes, Filton, Bovis Homes South Gloucestershire 7.5
Finchale Avenue, West Rainton, Keepmoat County Durham 7
Lakeside Scunthorpe, Galliford Try Homes North Lincolnshire 7
Papplewick Lane, Hucknall, Bellway Ashfield 7
Kalamazoo, Miller Homes Birmingham 7
Leyhill, Bellway Birmingham 7
St Johns, Enderby, Miller Homes Blaby 7
The Grange, Dunelm Property Services County Durham 7
The Oaks, Barratt Forest of Dean 7
West Lane Phase 2, Yuill Homes/ Endeavour Housing Middlesbrough 7
Westpoint, Barratt North Somerset 7
Steeplechase, Coast & Country Housing Association Redcar and Cleveland 7
Southwick Ph3, Gentoo Sunderland 7
Commercial Street, Brandon, Keepmoat County Durham 6.5
Attwood Green, Persimmon Birmingham 6.5
Kings Reach, Taylor Wimpey Kings Lynn and West Norfolk 6.5
Cressington Grange, Bellway Liverpool 6.5
Walton Locks, Barratt Developments Warrington 6.5
Deers Leap, Persimmon Birmingham 6
Boston Town Centre Regen Project, Chestnut Homes * Boston 6
Brewery Lane Dewsbury, Miller Homes Kirklees 6
Hadrian Village, Bellway Plc North Tyneside 6
Clayport, Gentoo (Lagny Street) * Northumberland 6
Spring Gardens, Persimmon Shropshire 6
Parklands, Bovis Southend-on-Sea 6
Doxford Park 3B, Gentoo Sunderland 6
Doxford Park PH3a, Gentoo Sunderland 6
Marshalls Yard, Gainsborough, Galliford Try Homes West Lindsey 6
Lakeside, Barratt Developments Eastleigh 5.5
Kingsway, Persimmon Gloucester 5.5
Nene Road 1, Lincoln – Miller Homes Lincoln 5.5
Edgewater Park IS, Morris Homes Warrington 5.5
Clayport 6.5 5.5
Kingswood, BeLa Partnership Corby 5
The Bridge, Taylor Wimpey Dartford 5
Askern Road, Toll Bar, Gladedale Doncaster 5
Innovations, Brough Barratt Developments East Riding of Yorkshire 5
Connexions, Bovis Homes Eastleigh 5
The Pippens, Persimmon Lichfield 5
Kvaerner, Bellway Stockton-on-Tees 5
Orchard Leaze, Barratt (HBD) Stroud 5
Grove Road, Countryside Properties (Northern) Tameside 5
Boston Town Centre Regen Project 7 5
Hampton VT18, Persimmon Homes Peterborough 4.5
Chenet Park, Persimmon South Staffordshire 4.5
Pleck Regeneration, Bovis Homes Walsall 4.5
Turnford Triangle, Persimmon Homes Broxbourne 4
Lakeside, Bellway Cannock Chase 4
Royal Estate, Market Warsop, Bellway Homes Mansfield 4
The Meadows, Barratt South Gloucestershire 4
Meadowbank, Bovis Homes Swale 4
The Oaks Whitwood West Yorks, Barratt Developments Wakefield 4
Mitchells Brook, Persimmon Homes West Midlands Sandwell 3.5
Leabrook, Barratts Developments Sandwell 3.5
Verve, Hull Galliford Try Kingston Upon Hull 3
Featherstone Rd Wakefield, Gladedale (SY) Wakefield 3
Roebuck Park, Persimmon Homes South East Wealden 3
Racecourse 1B, Gentoo Sunderland 2.5
Boxmoor, Taylor Wimpey Dacorum 2
Lower Milehouse Lane, Kier Ventures Newcastle-under-Lyme 1.5
Urban Space, Miller Homes Warrington 1.5

More than 20,000 homes on 299 stalled developments will be provided through the Kickstart Programme, which is credited as having provided invaluable support to the housebuilding industry through the worst of the market downturn.

Over half of these will be for affordable rent, or sale through HomeBuy Direct, and some 15,000 jobs could also be supported.

Under Kickstart Round 2, local authorities were involved more closely in the shortlisting process than they were in Round 1.

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