Sustainable homes and places

Sustainable places

We are equipping our teams to plan, design, layout and deliver schemes that create successful and sustainable new communities. Our approach starts with selecting the right land and incorporates placemaking and investment in local infrastructure and facilities. 

Taylor Wimpey homes

Placemaking and design

Placemaking is about creating communities that are socially, environmentally and economically sustainable. We focus on these key principles:

  • Schemes that are well connected and integrated into their surroundings
  • Layouts that are responsive to the context of the site, including topography, landscape, and existing buildings
  • Distinctive character and coherent, attractive and visually interesting elevations
  • Well defined streets and spaces with plenty of visual markers
  • Good walkable neighbourhoods that prioritise pedestrians and cyclists
  • Attractive public spaces
  • An interconnected network of green spaces and parks
  • Enhanced and improved biodiversity
  • Easy access to community facilities, such as shops, schools and workplaces
  • Well-designed homes and a mix of housing to suit local requirements
  • Efficient use of resources and land

Our placemaking standards

Our placemaking standards and guidance documents such as our Approach to Placemaking and Guide to Green Infrastructure are based on best practice, such as Building for a Healthy Life. They exceed standard requirements in areas such as efficient use of land, quality of public realm, connectivity and green infrastructure. Our standards are aligned with the National Design Guide and National Model Code.

Our Director of Design and Group Urban Designer work with our teams on placemaking. Both have qualifications in architecture and urban design. They review the design of every new scheme at least once and provide feedback on any improvements needed. We have a Design Lead in each regional business and strategic land team to champion good design at the regional level.

Development

Our approach to embedding strong placemaking across our schemes includes:

External partnerships

We work with many organisations on placemaking to share our views and learn from the expertise of others. In 2023, organisations we engaged with included the Academy of Urbanism, BOB-MK (a design network for Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes), Design for Homes, Home Builders Federation, Homes England, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Royal Institute of British Architects, Royal Town Planning Institute and the Urban Design Group. Our Design Director chairs the Place and Nature workstream for the Future Homes Hub. 
 
Taylor Wimpey development

Recognising sustainable design in our placemaking competition 

We celebrate good design and placemaking through our annual internal competition. This raises the profile of design around the business and recognises teams for applying good practice. We had 21 entries in 2023, which were judged by members of our GMT as well as heads of functions. Environmental impacts of schemes are one of the criteria considered.

Winning entries in 2023 included Woven Oaks, a proposed scheme in the West Midlands which was commended for use of blue and green infrastructure. The scheme integrates around 1,400 new homes with green corridors, nature enhancements and accessible wetland areas, as well as a new network of footpaths, trim trails and cycle paths, a doctor’s surgery, a new community hall, and a primary school. Another category winner was Morwick Springs in East Leeds, which was recognised for its approach to active travel including integrating cycle routes for commuting and leisure.