Resident narratives of life on a social housing estate: Doctoral research by Eve Blezard
This project explores the value and meaning of community for residents on a regenerated social housing estate in the North-West of England. ‘Community’ has continuing relevance in academic inquiry and application within social policy. It is frequently portrayed as a lost idyll that can be retrieved to counteract social decline; thus, an important means of examining social change. As it is contended that community is an interpretative concept; consequently, the project suggests that policy constructions of community should be challenged and explored.
It is further suggested that social policy directed towards social housing communities has become detached from the resident experience. Therefore, this research contributes to knowledge seeking to understand social housing communities from a resident perspective.
Noticeboard summary visual of the project
Fourteen semi-structured interviews have been undertaken with a purposive sample of ten residents on a social housing estate in the North of England. The interviews were transcribed and analysed through a thematic, narrative approach. The research found that community is frequently constructed through social and community places to which residents ascribe value and importance. These places were vital for facilitating supportive social networks and central to resident power, autonomy, and ownership. The loss of community spaces was seen as contributing to a rise in anti-social behaviour and a decline in social interaction. Subsequently, residents became unable to construct belonging to where they live, affecting their well-being and ability to feel at ‘home.’
The research demonstrates the present reality of how Rookwood has become detached from the initial vision of the estate. Like many of the areas ‘Slum Clearance’ developments, the original estate was seemingly built with a holistic community view. The estate was designed as a neighbourhood; with a local school, multi-use games area, play areas, shops, and open green spaces. Latterly a community centre and meeting room were developed on the estate. This funding was primarily based on the wider community’s needs.
The removal and closure of these spaces appear to have negatively impacted residents’ constructions of community. Residents also felt excluded from the changes in their neighbourhood and could no longer access, own, and control their own community spaces.
“They took the community away from us, the community rooms and everything has just gone to pot.“
Resident Quote
Illustrated storyboard of the findings from resident experiences
Without these spaces, residents feel they have lost the opportunity to come together, interact, and develop supportive social structures. The loss of spaces was also seen as a loss of safe, inclusive places for children to play and interact within the estate’s boundaries. This, coupled with a rise of new residents, and a decline in wider service and amenities due to welfare reform, has contributed to increased youth-related crime and anti-social behaviour. Without crucial social support networks, a positive means of interaction, and a genuine fear of crime, residents had withdrawn from social contact. This lack of community, connection, and negative experiences of crime has led to residents being unable to feel safe and at home within the estate, negatively impacting their belonging to the area.
“I haven’t got a home. That’s it; I am going to end up crying here, aren’t I?”
Resident Quote
The findings evidence the importance of community to social housing residents and the negative consequences of a perceived lack of community. Although nostalgia must be accounted for within residents’ narratives, Rookwood remains a local example of the effect of reduced services and facilities within a deprived area. The estate also illustrates the exclusion of residents from the development and planning of their own neighbourhoods.
Visual to display some of the key issues and themes in the findings with resident quotes
Additionally, the narrative demonstrates the implications of negative community experiences on; crime, anti-social behaviour, and resident well-being. These outcomes would likely affect the long-term sustainability and management of social housing neighbourhoods. Here Rookwood can illuminate the ultimate cost of austerity policies and politics, particularly in areas subject to high socio-economic deprivation. Therefore, concluding that; social spaces, community, and social networks are likely to have more value and purpose in social housing communities. Consequently, these communities should be prioritised in development, planning, and regeneration. It also confirms the contention that in terms of planning and developing spaces, they are best understood by those that live there. This, therefore, evidences the need for increased levels of resident involvement in the development of social housing neighbourhoods.
“Yeah, there is just nothing to make a community a community, you know, there is no resources.”
Resident Quote
Ultimately the narrative of Rookwood illustrates that a social housing ‘unit’ does not always make a ‘home’ and emphasises the implications of underestimating the value of ‘home’ and ‘community’ in residents’ lives.
“It has got to be a home, yeah, yeah… You have got to feel it.”
Resident Quote
You can learn more about the project here or view a short video of some creative outputs from the project which include found poetry taken from resident interviews as part of a series of visual outputs to help make the findings more accessible and engaging.
The research will now build on the interview data through a co-research project with local residents and a third-sector community group. A pilot project is being delivered to enable residents to lead conversations about the role of community spaces in their local area to inform a potential community centre development in 2024. You can learn more about that project here: