Safety by design
If you are planning a new fence, new front garden or just maintaining your front yard, take some tips from the series of booklets aimed to prevent crime through environmental design; Safer Canterbury, Creating Safer Communities. The four-booklet series was launched last month at the Christchurch City Council to help reduce crime in communities through better design of the environment.
Christchurch City Council landscape architect Hannah Lewthwaite says the resource sets out the general principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design for a very wide audience — from home owners and occupiers, to professionals in the architecture, design, landscape, development and planning sectors.
“The booklets offer practical ways in which you can improve safety around the home, streets, car parks and recreational areas by considering some basic principles at the design stage,” says Ms Lewthwaite.
“For residents this might mean building low or see-through fences that won’t conceal burglars from the street. It could mean cutting back large bushes on your property that overhang the footpath and may provide hiding places for offenders to trap passers by.”
“For safety, you could also consider planting thorny plants like roses under ground floor windows and having a clear, easily visible letterbox number to assist emergency services in locating your home,” Ms Lewthwaite says.
Another way of improving community safety is getting to know your neighbours, she says. People can contact the Christchurch Neighbourhood Support co-ordinator on phone 341 5829 or the national coordinator on free phone 0800 4634 442.
Otherwise, the booklets are available free on the Council website, at www.ccc.govt.nz/Environment/UrbanDesign/Guides/ or in hard copy from any City Council Service Centre or library.
The series was launched by the Canterbury Safety Working Party, a partnership of the Christchurch City Council, Banks Peninsula, Waimakariri, Selwyn, and Hurunui district councils, along with New Zealand Police and Neighbourhood Support to encourage safer communities in Canterbury. |
