Social Sustainability and Social Value in UK Housebuilding

Building on previous work led by Tim Dixon for the European Investment Bank on social sustainability in urban regeneration, this work has developed (with Social Life) a social sustainability assessment framework for UK housing projects. This uses national datasets and survey work to assess four main dimensions: ‘amenities and infrastructure’; ‘social and cultural life’; and ‘voice and influence’. The framework has been applied in a range of new housing developments for Berkeley Group and Countryside properties, and the work has also helped inform recent practice guidance on social value for the UK Green Building Council.
- Caistor-Arendar, L., Woodcraft, S., Nielsen, E., Bacon, N. and Dixon, T., (2017) Measuring the social impacts of regeneration in South Acton. Report. Social Life, London.
- Dixon, T. and Woodcraft, S. (2013) Creating strong communities – measuring social sustainability in new housing development. Town and Country Planning, Nov. pp. 473-480.
- University of Reading Press Release on Acton Gardens report
- Berkeley Group Social Sustainability work