City Living Sustainable development?

Transcription

1 School of Geography FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT City Living Sustainable development? Rachael Unsworth

2 Structure of paper 1. Critical examination of principles and practice of city living in terms of sustainable development 2. Reasons for city living coming into being as a new residential and lifestyle option 3. Emergence, strengths and weaknesses of the markets in major UK cities 4. Example of Leeds: supply-side factors contributing to development boom occupier survey: analysis of residents lifestyle, opinions and intentions in terms of sustainability of city living 5. How to succeed in making city living meet all the main sustainable development criteria?

3 Urban renaissance: the policy context enhanced economic performance of towns and cities + social justice and reduced environmental impact Urban Task Force report (DETR, 1999b); Urban White Paper (DETR, 2000a) priority to redeveloping sites and reusing redundant buildings focusing mixed use, medium-density development around transport hubs improving the quality of the urban realm and the quality of urban life

4 Leeds in 1826: textile mills Where there s muck, there s brass

5 Dereliction: wharfs and warehouses along the River Aire, 1960s

6 An industrial city reinvents itself

7 The rôle of city living in urban renaissance Apartments in converted buildings and new blocks welcomed as contribution to: providing for increasing numbers of 1 & 2 two person households improving urban vitality and viability mixed use and lower need for travel by car

8 Top reasons for moving to the city centre convenience for work city centre lifestyle rail links

9 Success? High density, well connected, high value city centre residential development = thorough manifestation of sustainable development? NO: economically precarious socially elitist; lacks community coherence environmentally ambiguous

10 Why? commercial considerations dominate planning system ill-prepared for expansion of market consumer behaviour Completed apartments 5,701 Under construction 3,812 With planning permission 5,622 Planned 6,262 TOTAL 21,397

11 City living 2007 Surveys published 2003, 2005 Issues addressed 2007: market conditions supply pipeline Occupier survey profile of city centre dwellers attitude to living in city centre influences on decision to live in city centre influences on decision to move out of city centre attitude towards parking and transport areas for improvement 610 questionnaires completed (response rate 13.5%)

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13 Economically precarious Supply pipeline Nature of demand

14 The state of the market demand driven by buy-to-let planning vacuum sales off plan slower still strong occupier demand, but supply expanding even faster and new schemes take time to fill up differentials opening up between better quality, better located properties & others with less appeal narrow demographic profile many occupiers will not stay long

15 How much longer do residents plan to stay in their current flat/in the city centre? IN CURRENT PROPERTY IN CITY CENTRE NO PLANS TO MOVE More than 2 years More than 1 year months Less than 6 months

16 Factors likely to cause migration VERY IMPORTANT QUITE IMPORTANT Prefer a house Having children Esp. Females, married, owners Inadequate living space Lack of green spaces Expense of property Esp. Renters Desire for quieter life Esp Getting married Too expensive to park Lack of convenience shops Inadequate cultural/leisure facilities 8 21 Crime / fear of crime Base = 470 all who expressed plans to move

17 Socially elitist & lacking coherence Affordability Contrast with area beyond city centre

18 Average purchase prices Total 168,880 Victoria Quays former warehouses 1 bedroom 127,780 2 bedrooms 183,530 3 bedrooms 234,000 With parking 188,190 No parking 136,420 Base = 263

19 Average rents Total 662 The Round Foundry, Holbeck Urban Village 1 bedroom bedrooms bedrooms 983 With parking 710 No parking 588 Base = 341

20 City centre surrounded by deprivation

21 A community? Member of of a Residents a Association Association 16 45% asked to know more about a residents forum Have a Have Residents a Residents Association Association but but not not a a member member 14 No Residents Association 20 Don t know Don't know 46 Don t Don't care care

22 Environmentally ambiguous Lack of green building Insufficient good quality green open spaces Car ownership and use

23 The environmental impact of city living building regulations belatedly catching up Supplementary Guidance in draft

24 Green open spaces In 2005 survey lack of green open spaces given as top factor contributing to likelihood of moving out of city centre Needs to be a strong element of LDF

25 The journey to work 59% walk Walk Car Train Bus Bike Other Heighho, heighho

26 Factors that would improve city centre living Improve food shopping facilities Improve parking facilities More green areas / spaces Improve healthcare facilities Improve accommodation accomodation Reduce noise levels Improve the cleanliness Improve cultural facilities Improve security / make safer Improve public transport facilities None/nothing Improve shops in general Improve recycling facilities Remove unsavory/offensive people hanging around Sporting facilities improve eating None/nothing Other

27 Locations used for food shopping MAIN SHOPPING TOP-UP SHOPPING Leeds City Centre Esp. Males and those living in LS1 and LS Leeds suburbs 40 9 On-line 8 2 Mixture 8 10 Out of town 5 2 Don't do this type of shopping / NA 1 20 Other

28 Medical facilities DENTIST DOCTOR NOT REGISTERED Especially younger people Leeds City Centre % said they would use the NHS walk in centre based in The Light Elsewhere in Leeds Out of Leeds

29 Conclusions (1) City living is a success on some measures: new households re-use of buildings and sites improved vitality and image reduced car dependency for travel to work But a young market families unlikely lack of affordable housing high turnover lack of green building to date still high car ownership Lumière green credentials?

30 Conclusions (2) future demand, rents and values? transport system? high quality design and public realm? broadening of night-time economy? affordable housing? Needs stronger steer from planners and more enlightened approach from developers

31 Tower Works Turning a corner?

32 Thank you Funding: KW Linfoot Morgans City Living Data analysis: Swift Research WETHERBY, LS22 7DN The respondents