Architecture Write an evaluation on the Staiths development
Project description
Background
Work started on the Staiths South Bank development in 2002 and is still ongoing. An early qualitative appraisal the experiences of residents living in the development has been completed (Susie Fisher Group, 2006). At this point Gateshead Council wishes to undertake an evaluation of the development in order that lessons can be learnt for future development elsewhere in Tyne and Wear.
(1) Services and infrastructure
The Susie Fisher Group (2006) identified the following issues of concern:
‘A pressing concern was that the current infrastructure in the area is poor. Schools are low achieving and there are few facilities nearby, such as a supermarket, pub, leisure or arts facilities’ (page 28)
You are required to explore the location and quality of neighbourhood services. You are also required to consider wider area services which are accessible from the Staiths development by public transport. The implications of this are to be considered in terms of the types of residents that will be encouraged to live in the development and also whether the availability of services and access to public transport will help reduce car usage. The latter is particularly important as a key element of the Staiths development is the homezone style streets which restrict each household to one car parking space.
(2) Socio-economic characteristics of residents
Susie Fisher Group (2006) found the new houses at Staiths South Bank to be ‘bought as starter homes for young professionals’ (page 24). The housing was found to provide a particular niche in the market where:
‘Current Staiths South Bank residents are mainly identified as within the social grade AB.* This is not the normal demographic for new build housing estates and is a potential new market for house builders. Staiths South Bank raises questions about how house builders can attract a broader demographic as well as keeping their usual customers’ (Susie Fisher Group, 2006, page 42)
This was one report early on in the scheme. We now have 2011 Population Census data which enables a comparison with the 2001 Population Census prior to the development. You are required to explore the extent to which the Staiths development and other policies within the area have led to a more mixed socio-economic profile.
*Social grades
This system classifies households by the occupation of the head of each household in the following categories:
A: Higher managerial and professional
B: Intermediate managerial and professional
C1: Supervisory, clerical, junior managerial
C2: Skilled manual workers
D: Semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers
E: State pensioners, casual workers
(3) Conclusions
There is a need for lessons to be learnt from the Staiths development such that future urban development in the North East can be improved. There is an expectation that you will clearly state what the lessons are emerging from your analysis. If there are areas for further research then these should be described.
Task
Your task is to generate maps which highlight issues that need to be considered within a more detailed evaluation and provide a preliminary discussion on lessons which can be learned from the development.
The report will be judged on the
• Quality of the maps ensuring they are fit for purpose
• Explanation of the findings the maps show
• Interpretation of the meaning of the findings
• Whether it is written in an appropriate style that is accessible to the local authority target audience.
Map2
You are required to explore the extent to which the Staiths development and other policies within the area have led to a more mixed socio-economic profile.
Table 1: Age Distribution of Staiths’ residents compared to the Gateshead average
• New housing brings new people to the area and this is likely to effect on the socio-economic mix of the area.
• NPPF – objective of creating ‘mixed and balanced communities’ (CLG, 2012, page 13)
• Emphasis on mixed communities within PPS03
‘Key characteristics of a mixed community are a variety of housing, particularly in terms of tenure and price and a mix of different households such as families with children, single person households and older people.’ (CLG, 2006, page 9)
Gentrification
What are the implications of people moving into the area that are from a higher social class than most of the surrounding residents?
Are the new residents any different in social class to those in the immediate area?
Map 3
• Need a neighbourhood area map showing the accessibility to local services.
• This you will create in the practicals.
• You will need extra data to help to interpret this map – for example in terms of the quality of the facilities.
Schools
• We know that the occupations of those moving into the development is generally higher than surrounding the area.
• Unless the residents send their children to public schools this is important in terms of encouraging families.
• ‘A central issue is education. In general, the schools in the target areas are notoriously low-achieving and have falling pupil rolls’ (Cameron, 2003, page 2370) – again this is general not about the Staiths – but instead an empirical question
• Issues of scale emerge, where ‘it was necessary to bring in a new population on a sufficient scale to change substantially the social mix of school catchments. Only then would middle-class families be willing to send their children to local schools’ (Cameron, 2003, page 2370).
•
How close is neighbourhood?
• If services are not close enough then residents will not use them.
• Use car or walk? How far would people be willing to walk?
• How can we use GIS to demonstrate/measure this?
Map 4
• This is a development which is hoping to reduce car usage
• Some issues of accessibility require a wider scale map.
• Supermarkets and broader leisure opportunities available in the metro centre and Gateshead town centre.
• What is available and how accessible is it?
• How good are the road links? Bus services?
• These issues will also need to be shown on a separate wider scale map.
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