Balanced and Mixed Communities: A Good Practice Guide

As Cambridgeshire grows, it will become home to a wide range of people, with differing needs and circumstances. To ensure that new developments meet these diverse needs, Horizons carried out a study into the requirements of balanced and mixed communities. The report sets out guidelines for planning for a mix of housing types (e.g. family homes, flats) and tenures (e.g. owner-occupied, affordable social housing, social and market rental housing), within desirable settlements that will allow for individuals, families and communities to mature, grow and change.

Tenure mix and layout

New developments should aim to integrate affordable and social housing tenures with market housing to avoid 'ghettos' of affordable housing. The Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) has been prepared to identity housing needs in the county. Although innovative and sustainable housing design should be encouraged, it should not be used exclusively for affordable market housing, thereby making it easily identifiable.

Providing and managing facilities

Providing the right mix of facilities at the right time is an important part of building successful communities. The report stresses the importance of early delivery of facilities and of involving the local residents from the new and surrounding communities in the selection and management of these facilities.

Mixed-use development

It is important that new communities offer not only homes for their residents, but places of work as well. This both provides opportunities for working locally, as well as encouraging greater use of local facilities such as restaurants, pubs shops and libraries, particularly when residential and employment areas are integrated. 

Design distinctiveness and flexibility

Building a sense of identity and community amongst residents can be achieved through the delivery of characterful and distinct new developments. New places in Cambridgeshire should fit well with existing places, reflecting its distinctive architectural design while also leaving room for innovative design and character in different areas and neighbourhoods.

Integration and Accessibility

Encouraging more sustainable modes of transport (e.g. walking and cycling) and use of public transport is important, and consideration needs to be given to ensuring good access between new and existing developments.  However it should also be recognised that car usage needs to be accommodated with adequate car parking facilities.

Green Infrastructure

Green spaces bring important social and environmental benefits and help to create a local identity. Green links between new and existing settlements can help to integrate these areas. A Cambridge Sub-regional Green Infrastructure Strategy was published in 2003, and several projects are now being implemented. The strategy will be reviewed in 2009 to cover the whole of Cambridgeshire, and will be developed further.

Relationships with existing communities

New developments should contribute to fulfilling the needs of existing neighbouring communities, and to encourage social and community cohesion between the settlements. Facilities should be shared where possible and upgraded where they are clearly of lower standard than those in the new developments.

Read the full report here.