Devon and Cornwall Constabulary has won a prestigious national award for helping to ensure that new planning developments are designed to deter crime.

The Force has been praised for its multi-agency work in ensuring that a developer submitted a revised application to build new property in Camborne to include more sympathetic measures to keep crime low.

Chris Vercoe, the Force's architectural and CCTV liaison officer, said: "We are involved in the consultation process when plans for major new developments are submitted, to offer advice to ensure that buildings, roads and public spaces are designed sensitively, to minimise opportunities for crime to occur.

"By working in partnership with agencies like councils, we can ensure that new developments are designed sensitively to reduce crime, so that people will be living, working and playing in safe environments in the future, and won't be blighted by problems like antisocial behaviour."

The Force received £5,000 and a certificate after winning the Police Secured by Design Award - run by the Association of Chief Police Officers - for its work in ensuring that the regeneration project in Camborne included crime prevention planning in future major development.

The money received by the Force will be directed into similar police partnership work in the town.

Camborne-based PC Jackie Thomson, a police architectural liaison officer, played a key role in the project.

The Force also won the award last year, receiving praise for its work in improving safety at Exeter's six secondary schools.

The Force is providing input into a number of large-scale development projects to ensure that designs are sympathetic in keeping crime low, including the planned Broadclyst and Sherford new towns.

Secured by Design can reduce burglary and car crime by 50% and criminal damage by 25%, according to national research.