Briefing paper 29: benefits of new build housing through regeneration

This briefing paper looks at the benefits of new build housing provided through regeneration in Glasgow.

The paper uses the fourth wave of the GoWell community survey carried out in summer 2015 to compare the responses to the survey given by occupants of new build social housing (built since 2003) with those given by occupants of improved social sector dwellings.

We look at responses given by the two resident groups in relation to a series of topics including: dwelling satisfaction and condition; feelings of status, control and safety at home; the affordability of housing and related utility costs; neighbourhood satisfaction and condition; neighbourhood services and amenities; community belonging and social contacts; and health behaviours. 

The analysis presented in the paper shows that new build housing provides additional housing and environmental quality gains to occupants (as reported by the residents themselves), over and above those enjoyed by the occupants of improved housing, and that these advantages might also be reflected in other benefits associated with new build housing in respect of affordability, status and home-based health behaviours.

In social terms, the paper finds some community-related benefits for new build occupants in respect of trust and reliance on neighbours, but not in not in terms of reported social interaction or mixing.