At SB Homes, we like to think that we have a little flair for building developments of distinction.

SB Homes' Clough Lea development in Marsden in bloom

For example, all of our sites are designed individually, considering the local demand and the position of the land. It’s something we’ve prided ourselves on for over twenty years.

So, we were delighted to find out that four of our developments have featured in 2019’s Kirklees Design Guide.

The document is a standard-setting vision for developers to create successful and high-quality streets, accounting for factors including place, context and traffic.

It is said, as agreed best-practice, that the most successful streets are those where traffic and other activities have been integrated together, and where buildings and spaces, and the needs of people, rather than vehicles, shape the area and create a sense of place.

This is something that we plan into the integrity of our developments – thinking about the flow of the roads, parking, pedestrianisation and creating spaces for people to relax.

For example, at Empire Works, we have created a footpath, linking Slaithwaite village centre, through to the canal-side, which is available for public use and will be adopted by the council. We’ve also ‘snaked’ the road through the development, to slow the flow of traffic and minimise the visual impact of the street. In addition, we’ve also added trees, green spaces and will also be creating a boules track, for residents to enjoy.

It is this kind of place-making thinking, which contributes to the creation of attractive, high quality, and sustainable places – and we intend to continue creating such spaces for the next twenty years.