Public want housing with a sense of community, survey reveals

Almost three quarters of people say they want housing that actively fosters a sense of community, according to a new survey.

The survey by window, door and conservatory supplier Eurocell reveals that 74% of people surveyed agreed that housing areas should not just be thought of as individual properties and should instead support healthy local neighbourhoods.

Eurocell’s survey of 1,000 people also found that 73% want housing areas to support advances in technology such as high-speed broadband and electric car charging.

As well as taking into account human factors, many respondents also want communities of the future to have a reduced environmental impact.

Three quarters (75%) of respondents said that tomorrow’s homes should be made using sustainably sourced materials and a further 76% said that communities should provide habitats for the local wildlife.

‘The construction industry was already facing a challenge with the government’s target to build 300,000 new homes a year,’ said Eurocell’s sales director, Ian Kemp.

‘Now, as work-life patterns have changed and many are spending more time in their houses than ever before, the importance of making sure these new homes satisfy the demands of residents has become even more vital.

‘To ensure that the UK truly “builds back better”, we need to make sure that we are listening to the demands of the country’s residents. Right now, the construction industry is gearing up to start building again, and in the rush to get back onsite it must not forget about issues such as creating spaces fit for new patterns of life as well as meeting demanding community, functionality and sustainability standards.

‘Our research shows that UK residents want to know that their whole community has been carefully considered, including both how the buildings are made and how they interact with the world around them. As public transport use reduces and more people choose to stay closer to home, our immediate communities are going to play an even more important role in our lives and so the buildings and open spaces that surround us need to cater to these changes and support a more community-minded way of life,’ he added.

Photo Credit – Supplied