BLOCKTYPE LTD

Blocktype

Blocktype is a cloud-based housing capacity and site appraisal tool for public sector planning and housing teams.

It enables users to test development scenarios, policy compliance and viability using a range of housing typologies, supporting early-stage decision-making, reducing reliance on consultants, and improving the speed and quality of site assessments.

Features

• Browser-based access with no local software installation
• Predefined, configurable residential building typologies
• Integrated site constraint datasets including conservation and topography
• Policy compliant streets and access components
• Open space components including gardens, biodiversity and play space
• Configurable parking bay sizes and layouts
• 3D visualisation with surrounding contextual buildings
• Real-time gross development value and build cost calculations
• Automated visibility of planning policy impacts
• Save, export and share accommodation schedules and site data

Benefits

• Quickly assess housing capacity and development options
• Test multiple layout scenarios without external consultants
• Identify planning constraints and policy impacts early
• Compare development options to support informed decisions
• Visualise proposals before making policy decisions
• Standardise site appraisals using consistent typologies and assumptions
• Reduce time spent preparing feasibility and capacity studies
• Share layouts and data easily with colleagues
• Improve the quality of briefs issued to consultants
• Support faster decisions on site acquisition and delivery

• Free trial available

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at euan@blocktype.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

214415546557887

Contact

Euan Mills
07990555918
euan@blocktype.co.uk

About your service

• Service categories:

  Applications

  Engineering

  • Computer-Aided Design Applications
• Multi cloud support: No

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Public cloud
• Service constraints: N/a
• System requirements:
  • Modern desktop web browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari)
  • Internet connection

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Support requests are typically responded to within one business day during weekdays.; ; Requests submitted outside normal working hours, including weekends and UK public holidays, are responded to on the next working day.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: No
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: Blocktype provides a single standard support level to all users.; ; Standard support; • Support is provided via email during normal UK business hours.; • Support covers general usage questions, troubleshooting, and fault resolution.; • Requests are prioritised by the supplier based on severity and impact.; ; Cost; • Standard support is included within the service subscription at no additional cost.; • No premium or paid-for support tiers are currently offered.; ; Account management; • Blocktype does not provide a dedicated technical account manager or named cloud support engineer.; • Support is delivered by the Blocktype team with appropriate technical knowledge of the service.
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Blocktype supports users through an onboarding process designed to enable quick adoption of the service. This includes an initial remote onboarding meeting to introduce the service and confirm user requirements. Users are provided with a short “quick start” video and supporting user documentation. Ongoing support is available via email.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: At the end of the contract, users can request a copy of their data by contacting support via email. Blocktype will provide all customer data held by the service in a commonly used electronic format within an agreed timeframe.
• End-of-contract process: At the end of the contract, user access to the Blocktype service is removed. Customers may request a copy of their data by contacting support via email, and that data held by the service will be provided in a commonly used electronic format.; ; The contract price includes access to the service for the contract term and standard email-based support. No additional charges apply at contract end for data extraction. Optional enhanced support, where agreed, is charged separately at an additional 10% of the licence cost.
• Documentation accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
  • Other
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: No
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Description of service interface: Our SaaS application has a browser based service interface that allows users to generate their development site layouts.
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Accessibility testing: We use simulated use of assistive technologies to review accessibility as part of our software development process.
• API: No
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: Blocktype can be customised with:; - Custom components (Building types, street types, open space types etc); - Custom constraint layers; - Custom policy calculations

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Blocktype is delivered as a multi-tenant cloud service hosted on scalable public cloud infrastructure. System resources are monitored and automatically scaled by the supplier to manage demand across users. This approach ensures that normal usage by one customer does not adversely affect the performance or availability experienced by other users.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations: United Kingdom
• User control over data storage and processing locations: No
• Datacentre security standards: Managed by a third party
• Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
• Penetration testing approach: ‘IT Health Check’ performed by a CREST-approved service provider
• Protecting data at rest: Physical access control, complying with CSA CCM v4.0
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001
• Data sanitisation type: Data Erasure

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Users can request an export of their data by contacting support via email. Blocktype will provide all available customer data in a commonly used electronic format suitable for reuse outside the service.
• Data export formats: CSV
• Data import formats: CSV

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: TLS (version 1.2 or above)
• Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: The service provided by Blocktype includes ongoing, full-functionality access to the Blocktype platform at www.blocktype.co.uk with recent data layers, as well as customer support. Blocktype commits to continuous support for all users for the duration of their licenses, aiming for 24/7/52 platform availability, subject to minimal maintenance.; ; The service resource availability target is 99.99%. In case of significant unplanned outages, designated customer contacts will be informed immediately. If third-party data provider disruption impacts Blocktype (e.g., Ordnance Survey), end-users will be notified as soon as possible.; ; General customer service is handled primarily via email with a best effort to respond within 2 working days. Typical customer service issues, excluding product customisation, are intended to be resolved within 1 to 5 working days, prioritising higher severity issues. Resolution times for larger or atypical requests will be communicated promptly.; ; Potential refunds for ongoing service unavailability within Blocktype's control will be handled on a case by case basis.
• Approach to resilience: This information is available on request.
• Outage reporting: Email alerts.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Management interfaces are only available to internal Blocktype employees secured by MFA authentication. Support is provided by telephone or email to verified contact details.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months
• How long system logs are stored for: Between 6 months and 12 months

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards: Other
• Other security governance standards: CyberEssentials
• Information security policies and processes: Our CTO is responsible for our security policies and processes, including our data policy, IT security policy and conformance with CyberEssentials. In all cases, this involves the design of effective policies, communicating and training employees, monitoring and auditing and fostering a culture of consistent enforcement.
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: We use an iterative agile software development process that handles all requests for changes to our components, which are managed via our code repositories, CI/CD pipelines and product development team processes. This includes both automated and manual review with respect to security, data management and accessibility. All code goes through our QA process that includes automatic code reviewing and scanning, and manual review.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: We use a range of automated systems for continuously monitoring our codebase and infrastructure for threats. Low level security warnings are dealt with as part of our primary software development process. High risk threats are dealt with as a priority (all hands on deck). Patches go through QA and are deployed as a priority. Threat information comes from our software management platform which performs code scanning informed by the GitHub Advisory database, amongst other sources, and from infrastructure vulnerability monitoring services in AWS.
• Protective monitoring type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: Blocktype uses AWS system monitoring/alerting to track the health and availability of our hosted services. This constantly tests the availability of the applications and the health of our infrastructure as well as monitors for attacks and misuse. Incidents are triaged when detected and dealt with according to severity.; ; All services and related infrastructure generate event logs for audit and compromise detection.; ; Detected incidents or any degradation in service is immediately triaged and acted on in accordance with our SLA.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: We have internal processes for triaging incoming incidents whether they are triggered by automatic monitoring, user feedback or any other source. Their nature and priority are determined and then enter our development workflows to resolve. Post-mortems are undertaken to reduce future risks.; Users report issues via our customer support channels and will be informed of resolution in the same manner.
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: Yes

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Conforms to a recognised standard, but self-assessed

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Pricing

• Discount for educational organisations: No
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: Blocktype offers a 5 day free trial to public sector organisations to pilot Blocktype on agreed sites to support evaluation of the service prior to procurement.

Discount percentage by annual call-off contract value (excluding VAT)

• Less than £250,000: 0%
• Between £250,000 and £500,000: 25%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 30%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 40%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 50%
• Over £5,000,001: 50%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: No
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: 8022b987-8fdd-498a-ab38-eddcb9796725
• Cyber essentials plus: No
• Cyber Essentials Alternative: None of the criteria
• Other security certifications: No

Social value

• Section B - Commitment for Future: Delivery:

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 1: Fair work: That offers fair wages and good working conditions. Help people get a job, stay in work, and progress in their careers, with good employment opportunities across the country. Notes: Where there is a large proportion of labour costs in the contract, commercial teams should consider MAC in Outcome 1 as a priority

    • New or retained jobs on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b, 1c and 1d
    • New apprenticeships on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b
    • Providing opportunities for, and measuring and monitoring of, staff workforce conditions over time, including employee engagement, involvement in decision-making and satisfaction and adapting to any changes in the results, with clear processes for acting on issues identified
    • Plans to engage the contract workforce in deciding the most important workplace issues to address
    • Ensuring new workers are informed of their right to join a trade union
    • Monitoring of employee engagement rates (by protected characteristic) and, where necessary, the development of actions to ensure all voices are heard across the diversity of the workforce
    • Employment contracts that reflect actual hours worked; steps taken to ensure employees understand their contracts and have the ability to review and adjust them if actual hours regularly exceed contracted hours
    • Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about, and feel empowered to, address their physical wellbeing
    • Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about and feel empowered to report and address bullying and harassment
    • Activities to cascade good practice on fair working conditions throughout the supply chain
    • Offer a pay and leave entitlement to all eligible staff who become kinship carers, ideally equivalent to statutory adoption pay and leave
    • Payment of more than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (as appropriate) to the contract workforce
    • Monitoring and reporting of gender and ethnicity pay gaps and plans to address them where necessary
    • Entitlement to sick pay for the contract workforce, with provision in place for any staff who do not meet the earnings threshold for statutory sick pay, payment of sick pay from day one of absence and payment of staff on the contract workforce who are off sick a replacement income of 100% of their usual earnings for as long as possible
    • Plans for an appropriate income replacement policy for staff who are required to spend time away from work to care for a sick dependent or close relative
    • Understanding of in-work progression issues affecting the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
    • Measures to support in-work progression to help people in the contract workforce, to move into higher paid work by developing new skills relevant to the contract
    • Support for the contract workforce by providing career advice, and providing opportunities for staff working on the contract with in-work progression career development into known skills shortages or high growth areas
    • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
    • Volunteering opportunities for staff
    • Understanding of the modern slavery risks and issues affecting the market, industry, sector or country (of origin or of source) relevant to the contract, and the workforce in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key subcontractors
    • Measures to identify, mitigate and manage modern slavery risks relating to the contract and how these will be implemented
    • Outline policies and practices to be applied to or put in place for the contract to mitigate and manage modern slavery risks, including: Pre-employment checks, recruitment practices. Workplace conditions, safeguarding plans and processes in place and regular monitoring with relevant groups considered, which may include sampling
    • How these flow down the supply chain and are monitored Illustrative examples include reporting, site visits, audits, etc.
    • How to ensure business decisions re: price/cost, short lead times, payment timescales do not create modern slavery risks in the supply chain
    • How the supplier will work with NGOs, trade unions or other businesses to address modern slavery risk
    • Means of influencing staff, suppliers, customers, communities and/or any other appropriate stakeholders with respect to modern slavery risks relating to the contract

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 2: Skills for growth: Supporting growth sectors and addressing skills gaps.

    • Understanding of employment and relevant skills issues, and of the education and training issues relating to the contract. Illustrative examples: demographics, skills shortages, new opportunities in high growth sectors, geographic/local community and skills/employment challenges
    • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
    • Activities to support relevant sector related skills growth and sustainability in the contract workforce. Illustrative examples: careers talks, curriculum support, literacy support, safety talks and volunteering
    • Delivery of apprenticeships, supported internships and T Level industry placement opportunities (Level 2, 3 and 4+) in relation to the contract

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 3: Resilient, innovative and flexible supply chains: Support economic growth through enabling resilient businesses, opportunities for small businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises

    • Understanding of the types of businesses in the market and the level of participation by new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals
    • Activities to identify opportunities to open up sub-contracts under the prime contract to a diverse range of businesses, including new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals
    • Plans for engaging a diverse range of businesses in engagement activities prior to appointing subcontractors (including activities prior to award of the main contract and during the contract term)
    • Activities that demonstrate a collaborative way to work with a diverse range of businesses as part of the supply chain
    • Advertising of supply chain opportunities openly and to ensure they are accessible to a diverse range of businesses, including advertising all subcontracting opportunities on Contracts Finder
    • Ensuring accessibility to contracting and subcontracting opportunities for disabled business owners and employees
    • Structuring of the supply chain selection process to ensure fairness (e.g. anti-corruption) and encourages participation by a diverse range of businesses, including with regard to new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutual
    • Understanding of local demographics, needs and opportunities for the co-design of the goods, services and works to be delivered under the contract
    • Methods for engaging with different parts of the community (including the education system and charities representing the community) and how communities come together to inform decisions, strategy and projects to leave a positive legacy for future generations
    • Measures to involve local stakeholders and/or users in design (e.g. in the design of services, systems, products or buildings)
    • Plans for positive actions with community groups.
    • Measures for making facilities used in the delivery of the contract available for community groups, education or training
    • Measures to engage users and communities and build relationships to increase community integration build trust and influence how the contract is delivered
    • Plans to respond flexibly and adapt approaches to community engagement and initiatives
    • Support for community-led initiatives relevant to the contract. Illustrative examples: improving transport links; reducing loneliness; helping with English language proficiency; and facilitating social mixing among people with different backgrounds
    • Collaborating with anchor institutions and community groups to make facilities available for education, training or community events

  • Mission: Make Britain a clean energy superpower: To cut bills, create jobs and deliver security with cheaper, zero-carbon electricity by 2030, accelerating to net zero

    Policy Outcome 4: Sustainable procurement practices: Reducing carbon footprints, minimising waste, and promoting the use of clean energy and green technologies.

    • Understanding of opportunities for additional environmental benefits delivery in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
    • Collaborative ways of working with the supply chain to deliver additional environmental benefits in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
    • Delivery of additional environmental benefits through the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
    • Understanding of how to influence staff, suppliers, customers, communities and/or any other appropriate stakeholders through the delivery of the contract to support climate and nature protection and improvement
    • Activities to reconnect people with the environment and increase awareness of ways to protect and enhance it

  • Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain

    Policy Outcome 6: Employment and training: For those who face barriers to employment

    • Understanding of employment and skills issues, and of the skills and employment shortages of high growth sectors relating to the contract
    • Creation of employment opportunities particularly for those who face barriers to employment, such as prison leavers, care leavers and/or who are located in deprived areas, and for people in industries with known skills shortages or in high growth sectors
    • Delivery of training schemes and programmes to address any identified skills gaps and under-representation in the workforce for the contract (e.g. prison leavers, care leavers, kinship carers, disabled people)
    • Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort
    • Understanding of the issues affecting the representation of disabled people in the workforce in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
    • Collection of the views and expertise of disabled people and their representative organisations on successfully supporting disabled employees or applicants
    • Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, and retention-focused activities, including those provided in the Guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition
    • Introducing transparency to pay and reward processes
    • Offering a range of quality opportunities with routes of progression if appropriate, e.g. T Level industry placements, students supported into higher level apprenticeships.
    • Working conditions which promote an inclusive working environment and promote retention and progression
    • Other measures to provide equality of opportunity for disabled people and those with health conditions into employment, including becoming a Disability Confident employer and inclusion of supported businesses in the contract supply chain
    • Understanding of the issues affecting inequality in employment, skills and pay in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors. Measures to tackle inequality in employment, skills and pay in the contract workforce
    • Inclusive and accessible development practices, including guidance for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition

  • Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain

    Policy Outcome 7: Creating a pipeline of opportunities: For the contract workforce, reducing barriers to entry for under-represented groups.

    • Understanding of the issues affecting the development of new skills by target cohort
    • Understanding of the underlying factors affecting improvements to reduce barriers to entry and training schemes for the target cohort(s) related to the contract workforce
    • Other measures to offer development opportunities for the target cohort(s) in the contract workforce
    • Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort
    • Understanding of issues relating to entering the contract workforce
    • Creation of outreach activities to create a pipeline of employees for the future contract delivery
    • Content of the outreach activity is designed to suit the target cohort
    • Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort

  • Mission: Build an NHS fit for the future: That is there when people need it; with fewer lives lost to the biggest killers; in a fairer Britain, where everyone lives well for longer.

    Policy Outcome 8: Increasing productivity through physical and mental wellbeing: In the supply chain and communities in the relevant area.

    • Understanding of issues relating to health and wellbeing, including physical and mental health, in the contract workforce
    • Understanding barriers to access to health and social care services or employment opportunities e.g. digital inclusion
    • Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, development practices and retention policies that support-focused activities including those provided in the Guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing which support people with a disability or health condition
    • Actions to invest in the physical and mental health and wellbeing of the contract workforce

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at euan@blocktype.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.