This proposal extends the Joseph Rowntree principles of lifetime homes to neighbourhoods to create lifetime neighbourhoods. It is based on a townhouse design, reflecting the need to provide high density, while maintaining adaptability and the variations of mix, size and tenure in a community, including workplace options. The home could be developed on an urban infill site, as part of a terrace, or as a stand-alone new build development of terraced housing with community focused initiatives.

Context
Sited as a single unit or small terrace in an urban infill environment, the scheme should as far as possible use local resources. Local combined heat and power (CHP) systems should be investigated. Low Nox boilers are installed to individual units as well as solar
panels, sited alongside brown roofs. Homes have private or shared gardens. A terrace has green space at the rear accessed by
residents as a shared common resource. The distance between plots can be tightened to increase density on restricted urban sites. Sustainable initiatives such as CHP, biodiversity and rainwater harvesting should be considered. In developments such as traditional single line terraces the openness of a common space cannot readily be achieved so homes have individual gardens. Developments still have communal heating and rainwater harvesting and other sustainable initiatives.

Design
Full height glazed screens frame views to communal gardens with shared amenity space for residents. Buffer zones for individual plots can be semi-enclosed with low walls for more privacy beside living accommodation, but the main external space is intended to be open to provide visual permeability. Flexibility of the house plan allows for adaptation to suit changes in occupants' personal circumstances. These changes are reflected in the elevations to give a variety of forms to individual developments, while retaining the fundamental spatial concept of the design.

Sustainable homes features
Some key features of the home include:
• Photovoltaics on roof
• Building fabric has a U value to meet a heat loss
parameter of 1.1 or less
• Large panel construction system for improved thermal
efficiency and reduced construction time and costs
• Large windows for ample daylight to the habitable rooms
• Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery to reduce
heat loss
• Materials selected for minimum environmental impact
• Concrete floor under private garden provides thermal
mass
• Provision of space for home office in master
bedroom and roof room
• Communal composting facilities for large developments
• Rainwater harvesting as part of sustainable urban
drainage system for large developments.

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