Re: Re: Erosion of Community ethos in new housing developments
@buddyboy wrote:
This may strictly not be an Architectural matter however as we are involved deeply in the construction and planning processes which go on in this country it might well be an apt topic for discussion. And I’m not saying it happens everywhere, just in my experience I see it a lot.
I can remember when growing up during the 1980’s in a typical town in Co. Wexford. It would have been a typical childhood, growing up in a typical terraced house in a typical street. Everybody new everybody else, all the children played and went to school together, and it seemed that those who were living in the neighbourhood had been there forever and would stay there forever.
However with the way things are today and probably because of the relative prosperity we enjoy today compared with the 1980’s and early 90’s a shift has occurred especially within the numerous new housing estates which are springing up all over the place that this community spirit just doesn’t exist. As an example a number of my friends have bought in these typical 2 and 3 bedroom semi-detached and terraced estates and notice a real lack of community within them. Due probably to a few factors:
1)The large amount of houses being bought as rental income properties which are usually inhabited by young people and young couples who would stay there for maybe no longer than a year or 2 while they look to get on the housing ladder themselves and would therefore feel no long term attachment to the community.
2) A large amount of first time buyers see these houses as a first step and a means to climb higher on the housing market. Therefore they buy with the intention of selling on in 4 or 5 years to get a bigger and better house. This also fosters a lack of long term attachment with the community.
where do these two groups go?
