Sk84goal
Well-Known Forumite
Wow there seems to be a little bit of confusion about what a 15min neighbourhood is.
Let’s take a look at the nearest thing we have to one in Stafford. Baswich. Residents of Baswich can walk, in 15 mins, to schools, doctors / health centre, library, community centre, play area, supermarket, Bar, Café, and several take away food options. They have a cycle network connecting them directly into the town centre. At no point have the residents been told they cannot travel to Aldi or to the markets in town neither have these facilities ever been blamed for the decline in the town centre. Now let’s say you are a council that is developing a brand new housing development on green fields. Wouldn’t it be sensible to look at all the good things Baswich has and build them into the design? Perhaps improving them by centralizing all the facilities into the middle of the development, perhaps ensuring there is no road running between them so it doesn’t have to be closed for events. Make sure that there are paths from all parts of the development leading to these facilities and that these paths / cycleways are connected into a wider system leading into town. If you want to be really radical make sure all cars access is by the rear of the houses leaving the front for children and neighbours to meet, have parties and, if they wish, setup community gardens. That is what a 15min neighbourhood is. It is about adding choice, adding freedom and building communities.
Let’s take a look at the nearest thing we have to one in Stafford. Baswich. Residents of Baswich can walk, in 15 mins, to schools, doctors / health centre, library, community centre, play area, supermarket, Bar, Café, and several take away food options. They have a cycle network connecting them directly into the town centre. At no point have the residents been told they cannot travel to Aldi or to the markets in town neither have these facilities ever been blamed for the decline in the town centre. Now let’s say you are a council that is developing a brand new housing development on green fields. Wouldn’t it be sensible to look at all the good things Baswich has and build them into the design? Perhaps improving them by centralizing all the facilities into the middle of the development, perhaps ensuring there is no road running between them so it doesn’t have to be closed for events. Make sure that there are paths from all parts of the development leading to these facilities and that these paths / cycleways are connected into a wider system leading into town. If you want to be really radical make sure all cars access is by the rear of the houses leaving the front for children and neighbours to meet, have parties and, if they wish, setup community gardens. That is what a 15min neighbourhood is. It is about adding choice, adding freedom and building communities.
Street where the lights are on green but cars are held back on red approaching from Aldi direction and from the prison. Likewise with pedestrians having to wait for no cars to pass by. Gaolgate roundabout isn't as popular as it once was.
15 min neighbourhoods excourage small local independents. They help to level the playingfield against the big multinationals. Thats why they hate them and lobby against them.
