Through Taylor Wimpey's extensive experience of developing 'best practice' in all areas of the housebuilding industry, we can add value at every stage of the development process. This ability is particularly important in the current planning climate where housebuilders are being called upon by government policy at all levels to deliver sustainable development.

Community Consultation

Community Consultation involves engaging the local community to get their thoughts and feedback on our proposals. Often our plans are informed by local knowledge that can only be gained from meeting face-to-face with the local community. Robust engagement can achieve mutually beneficial outcomes and the earlier a programme of consultation begins, the stronger the relationship of trust between developer and local residents / neighbours. Engaging with the local community encourages the community to have a sense of pride and ownership in the development while allowing smoother progress through the planning system.

Modern Methods of Construction / Construction Efficiency

Through continuing refinement of our product informed by in depth research and development programming, Taylor Wimpey remains at the forefront of product design, meeting the governments Code for Sustainable Homes with our new house type range.

Off-site manufacture and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) are becoming increasingly important features of the government's drive towards more sustainable homes. There are multiple benefits in utilising such methods: raised construction quality, shortened on-site build programme, reduced waste, cost savings, and general improvements in construction efficiency. Taylor Wimpey utilises prefabricated / MMC components on a large number of our developments throughout the UK. We have already worked with English Partnerships (now the Homes and Communities Agency) on various schemes throughout the country that exemplify the principles of construction efficiency.

Waste Reduction and Reuse of Resources

Effective waste management and the reuse of materials have a dual benefit:

• Protection of the environment and conservation of natural resources
• Reduction of costs and greater efficiencies on-site / within the supply Chain

Taylor Wimpey aim to:

• segregate waste on-site (e.g. use of colour coded skips)
• recycle waste where possible (e.g. polythene)
• reduce waste by returning unused materials to the stores
• reuse materials on-site (e.g. by crushing bricks and blocks of non-retained structures and reusing them as hardcore).

On all sites we seek to minimise waste and optimise the reuse of resources at all stages. We consider the following issues, in this respect, while planning and designing our developments:

• Creation of masterplans that work with the site's existing topography, wherever possible, to avoid unnecessary excavation and movement of material off-site
• Recovery and reuse of materials during demolition wherever possible
• Phasing of demolition / remediation / construction to facilitate movement of materials within the site to maximise potential for reuse and to reduce the amount transported off-site
• Training and education of our staff and our sub-contractors, including demolition contractors, in relation to reuse of materials and waste management
• Lessons learned are transferred to new sites to accumulate efficiencies and best practice

Taylor Wimpey has worked closely with BRE to develop a bespoke system of Site Waste Management Plans (SWMP) for all our new UK sites. These plans provide a framework to identify what wastes will be produced, forecast quantities, and determine optimal management strategy.

Code for Sustainable Homes

Taylor Wimpey has considerable exerience of creating developments with impressive sustainability credentials with many of our developments achieving EcoHomes rating Excellent or Very Good.

The Code for Sustainable Homes presents an enhanced challenge, in particular achieving the highest levels in a cost effective manner. We are however, currently developing our house type range, which includes every home design being capable of achieving code level 3 or higher. The new house types will also comply with Secured by Design principles and integrate the principles of Lifetime Homes to improve accessibility and cater for the changing needs of our customers.

Design and Master Planning

The holistic approach we take to all of our developments maximises integration with the surrounding environment and capitalises on the benefits delivered by the new development to the new and existing residents.

Our developments are more than just collections of houses. Entrances, boundary treatments, landscaping, legibility, permeability, connection to wider cycle and pedestrian networks all contrbute to an environment that welcomes visitors and knits into the existing fabric of the surrounds. Ensuring that new developments sit comfortably within existing communities is important if they are to be sustainable and subsequently successful.

Taylor Wimpey recognises the importance of social inclusion. We aim to create richly diverse yet fully cohesive schemes, through careful design of the masterplan and individual homes appropriate to the scale of the development and nature of the existing community. The provision, on our larger developments, of a variety of house and apartment types of different sizes ensures that our developments are attractive to single people, couples and families which, combined with affordability and diversity of tenure, creates a varied and rich community that can grow and thrive.

Affordable Housing

We believe that promoting the delivery of affordable housing is an integral part of implementing inclusive design and achieving the correct balance of housing is critical to the success of a community. Affordable Housing comes in numerous different forms and can be delivered in different ways. Taylor Wimpey benefits from a dedicated National Manager who trains and advises our regional land teams on how to work effectively with Local Authorities, Registered Social Landlords, Housing Associations and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) in all negotiations related to Affordable Housing.

Project Management and Delivery

Taylor Wimpey's in-house technical knowledge base and experience gives us an edge over our competitors in delivering development schemes. Our Project Managers work closely with all team members to ensure a cohesive development is designed and delivered to the best possible standard.

Partnering

Taylor Wimpey has a great deal of partnering experience, on a day-to-day basis we work with landowners, developers, Local Authorities, Development Agencies, the Homes and Communites Agency (HCA) and other government bodies to bring forward development schemes.