The Social Value Act is transforming the relationship between the public and private sectors and is about to find its way into the planning process, impacting the way buildings are designed, constructed and occupied.

First some basics. The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 came into force in January 2013 and requires all public bodies to look beyond the financial cost of a contract and consider how the services they commission and procure might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of an area.

The act is mirrored across the UK, with the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 in Wales and the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 in Scotland and although these acts have even stricter requirements, the principles and outcomes targeted by all three pieces of legislation are very similar.

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