<p>Accordia: the overall winner of the 2006 Housing Design Awards – designed by Fielden Clegg Bradley, Maccreanor Lavington and Alison Brooks for Countryside Properties. Judges called the Cambridge scheme “a triumph of family life in a city.” Phase one of the development comprises 73 homes for market sale and 100 affordable units. Both townhouses and flats are family sized homes, achieved at a density of 65 dw/ha.</p> <p>Communities and local government secretary Ruth Kelly used her keynote speech at the awards to throw down the gauntlet to the wider industry on its standard of design. “According to the results of CABE’s housing audits, only around 6% of housing design is very good or excellent. I intend to use my powers to prevent poor design and I urge local authorities to use their planning powers to rigorously promote good design.”</p> <p>She added: “It is my task to help create strong cohesive communities and the quality of design is integral to the task. Good design means attractive places with a mixture of size and tenure, high environmental standards and green spaces too.”</p><a href='\"http://www.designforhomes.org/hda\"'> <p>For the full list of winners see www.designforhomes.org/hda</p></a>