How to succeed in mixed use development – Part 3 of 4: community vs amenity
I was recently wandering through Elephant Park, the green space that is part of the mixed use development of the same name, just a conker’s throw away from the very busy transport hub of Elephant & Castle. If you haven’t been recently, it’s worth a visit, especially on a sunny day, when the water fountains in ‘Elephant Springs’ create an added dimension. This two acres of land, central London’s largest new green space in 70 years, which is open to all 24/7, picked up a Placemaking gong at the most recent New London Awards. Deservedly so, as for me it is an excellent example of the kind of inclusive community space that is crucial for any sustainable development.
Community is easily misunderstood - and often confused with amenity.... Essentially, community is fundamentally about people. Nobody really wants amenity space unless it also delivers a sense of community
In the previous two Perspectives (of a four-part series considering successful mixed use development) we introduced the ‘halo effect’ and examined true collaboration. Having first carefully positioned and then worked effectively with stakeholders on a prospective development, understanding and integrating community is the next part of the jigsaw.
Community is easily misunderstood - and often confused with amenity (a point I’ll return to shortly). Essentially, community is fundamentally about people. And in the context of a new development, the people who already live and work nearby, as well as those who will occupy that new space. The critical point here, as I see it, is that any spaces created must be relevant to the people who surround them. These are spaces that are inclusive and actively integrate with a local populace.
I mentioned amenity just now, which, like collaboration, is a popular buzzword of the moment. I’m concerned by the apparent necessity in some large developments to create an ‘amenity space’. Why the concern? Because all too often it hasn’t been properly thought through and there is no widely accepted definition of what constitutes ‘amenity’.
Ask yourself: who really wants amenity space? The local community? Probably not. Incoming tenants? I don’t think so. The answer is: nobody really wants amenity space unless it also delivers a sense of community. Still not sure? Look at the empty gyms built into so many recent developments. They’re often inaccessible to locals and their soulless fit-out makes them unappealing to occupiers.
Geography is worth noting at this point. Developments in central urban areas will usually have a more diverse community than those in more suburban or peripheral locations, so navigating the former can require more time and effort.
Understanding community and catering for it in an inclusive way isn’t just the ‘right’ thing to do. It also makes sense financially. Ultimately, providing facilities that are aligned with a development’s community will undoubtedly make it sustainable.
And, as a property person, I have to point out that a sustainable development is likely to offer the best returns.
-------------
In the fourth and final part of this Perspectives series we’ll consider the critical role of ground floor space in successful mixed use development, as well as recapping how the other key factors highlighted in this blog series (positioning, collaboration and community) interlink. You can catch up on the previous blog posts here:
Part 1 – Positioning
Part 2 – Collaboration
Article by Justin Taylor, Co-founder P-THREE
Photo credits: LendLease
