Research with prospective residents of the Thames Gateway
The key issues emerging from qualitative research were:
- The prospect of more affordable housing in the Thames Gateway was attractive to low to mid-income groups. Higher-income groups were less willing to consider moving to the Thames Gateway, and were only likely to be attracted to locations with very good transport links or a strong cultural heritage.
- In considering different locations, people focused on trade-offs between proximity to family and
social networks (particularly for people giving or receiving care), wages, housing costs and travel costs. - Higher-income groups were resistant to the idea of mixed tenure
developments, and although lower
income groups were more enthusiastic, some expressed concerns about being looked down on by
homeowners. - All groups were concerned about the quality of housing and neighbourhood design of new housing
developments and feared that the new homes in the Thames Gateway could be of poor quality, and in neighbourhoods without a sense of place. - There was strong consensus about the need for new neighbourhoods to have access to a range of local private and public amenities, transport links and green space.
- Moving to an area with a sense of community and security was also considered to be important.
- People from black and minority ethnic communities were frequently concerned about the availability
of culturally specific goods and services.
Source: Gateway People, The aspirations and attitudes of prospective and existing
residents of the Thames Gateway. ippr 2006