Planning Advice Note 67: housing quality

Planning Advice Note PAN 67 Housing Quality

Building standards and planning: making better use of resources

Other aspects of a development's design and its use of resources, though they may not be planning issues, are also matters of Scottish Executive policy or guidance. In particular contexts some of these will already be covered by building standards. These include ensuring that the proposed housing:

• is accessible by people with disabilities
• is well insulated and free of draughts
• has sufficient thermal mass to absorb heat from the sun
• has a well insulated roof, walls and floors, and double glazed windows
• is well lit by daylight
• is built without materials suspected of being toxic
• re-uses building materials and is built of materials which themselves can be re-used later
• uses water-conserving sanitary fittings
• recycles surface and grey water
• has a water meter to reduce water use
• has facilities for composting organic waste and recycling inorganic waste
• uses a type of heating system that makes good use of resources (perhaps a neighbourhood system, district heating, or combined heat and power)
• is built in a form (and/or with mechanical systems) designed to capture solar energy
• recycles its waste
• can accommodate well positioned satellite dishes and aerials.

Whinhill Phase 4, Cloch Housing Association, Greenock, Inverclyde	Flats designed on a semi-circular site to a high building standard at minimum cost, CASPAR, Leeds