Creating successful mixed income communities

Creating and sustaining mixed income communities: A good practice guide is published this week by the Chartered Institute of Housing and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

The guide chimes with central and local government drives to create communities that bring together people of different income levels in settings combining both rented and owned homes.

Researchers found evidence of successful well-established and new housing developments which integrate different tenure and home size so that it is impossible to identify tenure solely on appearance.

Nick Bailey, who led the team of researchers, said: “Tenure mix is an important prerequisite to a successful community, but so too are the masterplan, the design quality of the homes and public facilities such as parks, the quality of schools and access to jobs.”

The research also identified four essential elements to developing successful mixed neighbourhoods.

• A clear assessment of local housing needs and market conditions;

• A briefing and masterplan process which produces a full range of housing types and sizes, located in an attractive environment;

• A vision promoted and sustained by all stakeholders;

• A locally based and unified system of housing and environmental management embracing all stakeholders and including substantial community involvement.

Bailey said: “In the end, the success of mixed developments depends on whether they are places where people choose to live, and whether the mix of tenures and range of sizes of homes is retained through responsive management practices in the long term.”