<b></b><p></p><p><b><b>The security offered by a new home and the electrical ingenuity possible in a modern development add up to a convincing marketing package for the housebuilder. Andrew Leech looks at developments in these sectors</b></b><br><b>According to the Association of Chief Police Officers, Secure by Design is perceptibly beating the burglar on those new housing developments where its broadest principles are applied. But the recent dramatic emphasis on even tighter security may have far reaching implications.</b><br><b><b>Security issues</b></b><br> Countryside Properties is one developer that is considering the broader issues of September 11 and, following its success at St Mary&amp;’s Island, Chatham, is, where feasible, adopting a &amp;“single entrance&amp;” policy to its projects.</p><p>Guy Lambert, the company&amp;’s corporate communications manager, says: &amp;“Increasingly we are looking at individual home security and special systems. But our approach goes deeper to single, possibly gated, entries to all our large developments. Feedback from St Mary&amp;’s Island residents confirms they feel much more secure knowing there&amp;’s only one way onto the development.&amp;”</p><p>So Wychwood Park near Crewe, another major Countryside development, will not only have a single access but may also have a manned, gated entrance. </p><p>Of course, manned gates are not essential because there are some pretty sophisticated automated systems …