'Building for Life', the Government-endorsed standard for well designed homes, has awarded the Gold Standard to luxury housebuilder Chase Homes, for the design and construction of 'The Russells' at Broadway, Worcestershire.

Other winners of the gold standards include Ecos Homes and Stride Treglown's 'Great Bow Yard', in Langport, Somerset - an exemplary sustainable development of 12 homes built on the site of an old oil depot, and Berkely Homes and Rolfe Judd Architect’s 'Empire Square' in Southwark, London.

Winners of the silver standards include 'Waterstone Park', in Greenhithe in Kent, created by Countryside Properties, Land Securities, and Gardner Stewart Architects. 'The Village' in St Austell, Cornwall as well as 'The Manor', in Lower Earley in Reading.

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Announcing the winners, Building for Life chair Wayne Hemingway pointed out that the quality of this year’s winning housing schemes shows that developers and planning authorities are eminently capable of getting together and delivering great places and homes that can lift the spirit. "Which makes it even sadder that there are so many examples of poor new homes and new housing developments that fall short of that," he said.

Building for Life is the national standard for well-housing and neighbourhoods. It is led by CABE and the Home Builders Federation. Since it was launched in 2002, 50 housing schemes have been awarded the Building for Life Standard. Already English Partnerships, the Housing Corporation and some local authorities will only give approval to housing developments that meet this standard.

There were three Building for Life gold standard winners and six silver standard winners. The silver standard developments fulfilled 70 per cent of the criteria, while the gold standards met 80 per cent.

These 20 criteria objectively measure the quality of a scheme’s design and construction; it's roads, parking and pedestrianisation; its environment and community; and its character.

(JM)