At the handover of the new development, Police Scotland awarded the project the Secured by Design (SBD) accreditation.

The SBD standards are based on proven crime prevention design techniques that recognise design and specification elements which increase the physical security of buildings and external environment.

Police Scotland’s National Designing Out Crime manager, Stuart Ward, explained that the Police SBD award’s proven crime prevention techniques include the layout and landscaping, such as incorporating natural surveillance and limiting through movement, and increasing the physical security of buildings, such as attack resistant doors, windows and locks to deter opportunist burglars.

The benefits of building to SBD security standards are wider than just security in that significant reductions in maintenance and repair costs can be achieved. For police, falling crime reduces demands on services and enables us to focus on other priorities.

The partnership working between Police Designing Out Crime Officers and architects / developers for new developments can have an exceptionally positive impact on enhancing communities, reducing the incidence and fear of crime, and improving the quality of people’s lives.

The Kingdom project was provided by Barratt through negotiation as part of its affordable housing agreement and has provided a mix of 2 and 3 bedroom homes that Kingdom will allocate as social rented homes.

Barratt Homes developed 29 new homes for Kingdom as part of its larger development in Dunfermline, The Heathers, which will provide a total of 114 new homes.

Jason Watt, technical director for Barratt Homes East Scotland, said: “The safety and security of our homes is paramount to us, and is a crucial part of the planning process when it comes to designing homes. Residents want to feel safe and secure in their new properties, and know that they are protected.

“At Barratt Homes, we take pride in delivering properties of the highest standards. We are therefore delighted to have been awarded the Secured by Design gold accreditation at The Heathers in Fife.”

The total cost of the Kingdom project was around £3.8 million, with approximately £2.3m provided to Kingdom, by the Scottish Government. In addition to achieving the secured by design accreditation, the project has been built to Scottish Government’s Greener Standards aspects 1 & 2 sliver sustainability standards, through the installation of photo voltaic panels, mechanical extract ventilation system and enhanced insulation standards.

Bill Banks, Kingdoms Group chief executive, said: “We are very pleased with the standard of new homes that Barratt Homes have built for us. Incorporating secured by design standards is a key design criteria for all our projects. The new homes in Dunfermline have been designed and built to exceptionally high standards and will provide our tenants with an exceptionally warm, safe and comfortable home.”

Bill added: “We completed our first secured by design project in 1997 and this new development takes our total homes, that have been built to Secured by Design standards, to over 3,500.”

In a 1987 Police Scotland undertook a  study of over 150 of Kingdoms developments,  which have achieved the secured by design standards in Fife and found that there had been 87% fewer reported crimes reported in the Kingdom projects, compared to properties not similarly designed and protected.