Durham E-Theses A social geography of urban fringe housing estates Blowers, A. T. How to cite: Blowers, A. T. (1970) A social geography of urban fringe housing estates, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/9682/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk A.T. BLOWERS A SOCIAL GEOGRAPHY OF URBAN FRINGE HOUSING ESTATES M.Litt Thesis 1970 ABSTRACT A SOCIAL GEOGRAPHY OF URBAN FRINGE HOUSING SSTAT_ES The thesis explores three themes for each of which hypotheses are put forward based, upon existing research. They are; first, that there are recognisable socio-geographic subdivisions within any community of neighbourhood unit size; second, that design and layout are important determinants of the social pattern; and third, that attitudes to place are the product of environmental as well as individual characteristics. Two urban-fringe council housing estates, broadly similar in age, size, and location, are chosen for study - North Kenton on Tyneside} and the G.L.C. out-county estate at Sheerwater, Woking, Surrey. The research is based on existing data, observation, and direct enquiry of a sampled population by means of a schedule. The environmental and demographic features of the estates are described. Analysis of workplace, shopping, entertainment, and visiting patterns reveals the interaction between each estate and the wider community. While both have attained a degree of functional self-sufficiency, Sheerwater, more isolated from the former homes of its residents, has achieved more social integration than North Kenton. The North Kenton survey emphasises the impact of the built environment which has resulted in the socio-geographic characteristic of the estate. Certain problems,affecting old people and young children especially, have arisen from failures in layout and design. At Sheerwater attitudes to place and spatial perception are examined and the role of individual experience and aspiration, and personal mobility are among the factors considered. Beyond the estate perceptual clarity diminishes though it is clearly influenced by the main lines of communication. In conclusion, the inter-relationship of the major themes is demonstrated and the validity of the initial hypotheses upheld. The research area is a broad one and suggests lines of future enquiry. In particular the theme of spatial perception offers considerable scope for all forms of geographical study. So many people have given invaluable help in the preparation of this thesis that it is difficult to know where to begin. Here it is possible to record my thanks to some of those without whom the whole enterprise would have foundered. The City Planning Department of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Housing Department of the G-.L.C. provided the background information and statistical data so essential at the commencement of the work on each estate. Of the individuals who helped, I am indebted to Misses Christine Hitchcock and Jenny Chadwick for their help in the preparation of the maps. Mr. Ashley Selby gave expert assistance both with the maps and the plates. I am, however, especially grateful to Susan Howlett, my typist, who has coped with my writing and the continuous redrafting and correction which made the use of stencils necessary. It is largely through her efforts that the problems and frustrations of the final stages of the work have been overcome. Throughout the time I have been engaged in the project my Supervisor, Dr. David Thorpe, has given inspiration, guidance, and logical criticism. To my wife, Gill, I owe my thanks for acting as both critic and advocate and for sustaining me with her encouragement. And, lastly, my thanks are due to the anonymous residents of North Kenton and Sheerwater who willingly submitted to my interrogation and upon whom the whole work depends. Walton-on-Thames May 1970 CONTENTS PagJ; 1. INTRODUCTION 3 I. The Nature and Size of Urban Communities 7 II. The Social Implication of Layout and Design 11 IIIi Attitude to Place 16 Problems and Techniques of Research 18 2. NORTH KENTON ESTATE 23 I. Council Housing in Newcastle upon Tyne 23 II. The Estate 29 III. The People 2,4 3. SHEERVJATER ESTATE, WOKING 93 I. Council Housing in Greater London 93 II". The Estate 101 III. The Survey 117 4. CONCLUSION 166 APPENDIX I - The Neighbourhood Unit Concept 173 APPENDIX II - The Method of Survey 182 APPENDIX III - North Kenton Estate - Tables 186 APPENDIX IV - Sheerwater Estate - Tables 233 APPENDIX V - North Kenton Estate - Schedule 255 APPENDIX VI - Sheerwater Estate - Schedule 266 BIBLIOGRAPHY 278 SUBJECT INDEX 293 INDEX OF PEOPLE 297 INDEX OF PLACES 301 LIST OF PLATES NORTH j^NTOJW ESTATE Following Page 90 Plate 1 Wall separating North Kenton Estate from private housing. " 2 Kirkwood Drive .looking east. " 3 Edgefield Avenue looking south. " 4- Shrigley Gardens. " 5 Hillsview Avenue looking west, " 6 Balmain Road. " 7 Three storey terraced maisonettes, Colgrove Way. " 8 Rear view of terraced maisonettes. " 9 Access balcony of terraced maisonettes. " 10 View of the Park from Kirkwood Drive. " 11 Five storey point-block maisonettes - Apsley Crescent/Laith Road. " 12 Hillsview Avenue looking north. " 13 Access stairway of point-block maisonette. " 14 Entrance to five'storey point-block maisonette. " 15 Entrance to five storey point-block maisonette. " 16 Group of three storey point-block maisonettes off Hillsview Avenue. " 17 Three storey point-block maisonettes seen looking across the Park. " 18 View across the Park from Kirkwood Drive. " 19 Two bedroom flats in Banbury Road. N°RTiL.ST™i^§SATE (continued) Plate 20 A group of old persons' dwellings. " 21 Arndale House shopping centre. " 22 An example of vandalism on the esta.te. " 23 G-reen surrounding point-block maisonettes. SHEERWATER ESTATE Following Page 163 Plate 24- The Basingstoke Canal. " 25 Dartmouth Path. " 26 Albert Drive looking west. " 27 Albert Drive looking west. " 28 Entrance to the estate on Albert Drive. " 29 Devonshire Avenue. " 30 Dartmouth Green. " 31 Spencer Close. " 32 Blackmore Crescent. " 33 Old People's Group in Bunyard Drive. " 34 Hanbury Path. " 35 Self-contained dwellings in Bentham Avenue. " 36 Blackmore Crescent. " 37 Higher rented house (Type V6) in Albert Drive. " 38 Higher rented house in Albert Drive. " 39 St. Michael's Road. " 40 Group of flats seen from Devonshire Avenue. " 41 Devonshire Avenue looking west. " 42 Flats surmounting shops in Dartmouth Avenue. " 43 Rear view of four storey block containing shops. " 44 Two storey flats in Devonshire Avenue. " 45 "Scottwood" type permanent prefabricated houses Lockwood Path. Plate k& Rear of shops, Dartmouth Avenue. " 47 Bunyard Drive. " 48 The Industrial Estate. " 49 Woodlands First School, Blackmore Crescent. " 50 Broadmere Middle School, Devonshire Avenue. " 51 Sheerwater Secondary School, Albert Drive. " 52 The shopping parade, Dartmouth Avenue. " 53 The "Birch and Pines" public house. " 54 Roman Catholic Church, Dartmouth Avenue. " 55 St. Michael's Anglican Church. " 56 The Methodist Church, Blackmore Crescent. " 57 The Community Centre, Devonshire Avenue. " 58 The Recreation Ground. " 59 Chertsey Road, Woking. " 60 Access balcony at rear of four storey block, Dartmouth Avenue. MAPS AND DIAGRAMS 1. Tyneside Location Map Page 24 2. Newcastle upon Tyne Council Estates Page 26 3. North Kenton Estate Page 30 North Kenton Estate Street Plan Page 32 4a. North Kenton Estate - Enumeration Districts Page 32A 5. North Kenton Estate - ITorkplace and Travel Times Page 57 6. North Kenton Estate - Use of Local Surgeries Page 73 7. London Out-county Housing Estates Page 98 8. G.L.C. Housing Estate, Sheerwater, Woking Page 103 9. Sheerwater Estate Street Plan Page 106 10. Map showing Greater London Administrative Units and T7okLng. Page 126 11. Sheerwater Estate - Location of Main Shopping Page 140 Centres 12. Sheerwater Estate - Spatial Perception Diagram Page 158 Fig. 1 Sheerwater Estate: Distribution of Shopping Types Page 111 TABLES fables, .in _Text North. Kent on Estate 1. Population in Non-Council Owned Dwellings in Enumeration Districts of North Kenton Page 44 2. Occupation Density of 3-Bedroomed Dwellings Page 46 3. Occupation Density of 4-Bedroomed Dwellings Page 47 4. Number at Work per Dwelling Page 51 5. Fork Pattern of Wives of Active Heads of Households Page 53 Sheerwater Estate 6. Social Survey 1952 by Surrey County Council: Occupation and Workplace Page 113 7. Social Survey 1952 by Surrey County Council: The Journey to *,7ork Page 114 8. Number of Persons per Household Page 118 9. Number at Work per Household Page 119 10. Working Pattern - Housewives in Active Age Groups Page 120 11. Length of Residence Page 127 12. Reasons for Moving Page 128 13. Number of Moves since Marriage Page 128 14. Number of Nearby Places Mentioned by Sample Page 156 15. Description of Place Page 162