Experience shows that a range of stakeholders – from local politicians and parishes, to developers and planners, and home buyers and renters – need to work together to change how we think about building new communities.
If developers can be persuaded to plan for the long term, if people buying and renting homes see the potential social value in neighbourly places, and if local agencies and politicians put resources and support into plans that enable new communities to thrive then the right conditions for social sustainability can be created.
Every development goes through a process from planning, to design, to construction, occupation and long term stewardship.
Creating the conditions for social sustainability at different stages in a development
Planning & design
Amenities & social infrastructure: think about relationship to existing infrastructure and resources, and how new facilities can be shared between existing residents and new residents
Social & cultural: make sure that neighbourhoods support social networks and neighbourliness, by creating high quality places to live and to socialise that foster belonging and wellbeing
Voice & influence: involve residents in design, think creatively about how to speak to likely future residents about what they may want in the future
Adaptability & resilience: try new approaches to design and masterplanning that boost social sustainability and allow for change in residents needs and wishes in the future
Construction & occupation
Amenities & social infrastructure: make sure that social infrastructure is in place from the start
Social & cultural: build community and trust between existing communities and new residents – even where there is opposition to development
Voice & influence: enable residents groups and residents activism at the earliest phase
Adaptability & resilience: consider temporary uses and meanwhile uses to respond to changing needs at the early stages of occupation
Long-term stewardship
Amenities & social infrastructure: think about local ownership and management of assets
Social & cultural: facilitate social networks, encourage residents to take control of spaces and activities
Voice & influence: plan for the long term management and look at different approaches and structures that have worked elsewhere
Adaptability & resilience: allow structures, facilities, use of space, and ways of communicating to change in response to new populations, new needs, and new technologies
Explore more case studies
Churcham
Churcham is a small development of seven new houses on a Rural Exception Site in Churcham…
The Malings
The Malings is a housing scheme that combines traditional community values…
