NATIONAL HOME SECURITY MONTH
Transformed estate still benefiting residents twelve years later
Stevenage ’ s Stoneyhall Estate continues to benefit from the Secured by Design Gold Award that it achieved for its security features over twelve years after the development was completed - with only one attempted burglary being recorded in the last four years .
» NOW CONSIDERED ONE OF Hertfordshire ’ s Secured by Design ( SBD ) success stories , originally it was an estate of several high rise concrete blocks built in the 1950s when Stevenage became the first of a series of ‘ New Towns ’, and had a high crime rate which had a significant impact on police resources in the area .
The local council decided to redesign the estate and , after planning permission was given in 2004 , it was demolished and replaced by low level flats and small houses built to SBD standards for the built environment and physical security . Hertfordshire Constabulary ’ s County Designing Out Crime Officer ( DOCO ) John White ( now retired ) and local Crime Prevention Officer Mark Montgomery ( now DOCO ) were heavily involved in the process throughout , with the estate being built in three phases , and the last phase of construction being signed off as having achieved the SBD Gold Award in 2010 .
The main changes to the estate included quality low-rise blocks and small houses - 140 affordable houses and flats , and 44 apartments for private sale - SBD accredited doors , windows and entry and locking systems ; burglar alarms ; locked bike storage ; lighting ; a community centre and small garden areas ; shops , sports facilities and park . However , the development went one step further to incorporate proven crime prevention techniques into the built environment too , such as natural surveillance and defensible space to deter criminal activity .
Since the redevelopment the burglary rate has reduced dramatically on the
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