Millennium community
The Millennium Communities Programme was launched in 1997 by the Deputy Prime Minister to provide a new model for sustainable and environmentally responsible communities across the UK.
The programme is being implemented by English Partnerships, the national regeneration agency. One of the main objectives of the programme is to influence the housebuilding industry and to encourage higher standards of innovation and energy efficiency. It is also looking to deliver 6000 homes by 2010.
The programme is breaking new ground in achieving sustainable development and in promoting best practice in residential development – a model for the twenty-first century to inspire all those involved in planning, designing, building and managing new residential communities.
Key themes of the Millennium Communities Programme include:
- Promoting an environmentally sustainable development: in terms of ensuring environmentally friendly construction methods and ensuring that the final product minimises energy and water consumption.
- Maximising quality of life to residents: in terms of achieving high levels of social inclusion and security through the provision of a well-planned environment, community facilities and a commitment to ongoing management.
- Ensuring the highest quality design standards: covering both public realm and built form to create an exceptional living environment for current and future generations
- Encouraging innovation in construction technology: for instance, a commitment to modern methods of construction and enabling economic benefits to residents through reduced maintenance and running costs.
- Dealing with constrained sites: to demonstrate new approaches to tackling a range of physical, economic and social deficiencies.
The Millennium Communities Programme aims to raise the standards of the UK’s residential development and construction industry – to promote innovation in residential construction, to maximise quality of life to residents and to ensure environmental sustainability.
