The plan, still in its early stages, will see EP set benchmarks in areas such as urban coding, environmental standards, construction efficiency and community involvement.
Developers, housing associations and regeneration companies will have to show they fulfil these criteria.
Trevor Beattie, EP's director of strategy, said: "We're going to put together a package of existing measures, like Building for Life, and Eco Homes. There's no lack of measures out there but a straightforward approach to them is lacking.
"Where we're handing out public money, we can afford to be pretty prescriptive."
The strategy will also be used as a tool to improve EP's own performance, with all of its developments expected to meet the standards of the flagship millennium communities.
EP appointed regeneration consultant Stephen Hill in April to manage the strategy. He will start work in July.
Hill said it was too early to say exactly how the system would work. "We need to be able to say, 'If you want the money, this is how you have to do it.'
"Whether that means an actual contract or just EP leading by example is not yet decided."
Hill will also oversee a review of EP's millennium communities programme, announced in 1997, with a view to raising its profile and ensuring lessons have been learned. With the exception of Greenwich, many of the other communities have taken a long time to get off the ground.
The moves are part of the restructuring of EP following the central role it was given under the Communities Plan to deliver housing, and the shake-up of its senior management team.
EP has in the past been criticised for not fully using the strength of its land portfolio to dictate how communities are built. Hill said EP's new remit put it in a unique position to join up government regeneration efforts.
Source
Housing Today
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