Gated neighbourhoods, privatized amenities and fragmented society: evidence from residential experience and implications for urban planning

Wang, Y., Shaw, D. and Yuan, K. (2018) Gated neighbourhoods, privatized amenities and fragmented society: evidence from residential experience and implications for urban planning. Sustainability, 10(11), 4301. (doi: 10.3390/su10114301)

Abstract

Nowadays, urban space has become more fragmented and largely consists of many unconnected enclaves. The significance of neighborhood amenities to resident’s quality of life has been identified in the recent literature. However, studies have inadequately explored the real experience of residents in their use of neighborhood amenities under the gated urban form. Since the 1990s the urban environment of many Chinese cities has been re-shaped by the large creation of gated neighborhoods. Based on a case study in the city of Shenzhen, this paper draws upon evidence of residential satisfaction with local amenities to reveal a significant variation between different neighborhoods. The outcome of the enlarged social differentiation is a result of imbalanced micro-level urban development. The findings also provide new evidence demonstrating the increased fragmentation of society as the consequence of urban privatization. By linking the planning process with the social outcome, this paper reflects on the current strengths and weaknesses of the Chinese urban planning system.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Yuan, Mr Ke and Wang, Dr Yu
• Authors: Wang, Y., Shaw, D., and Yuan, K.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Urban Studies
• Journal Name: Sustainability
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2071-1050
• ISSN (Online): 2071-1050
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2018 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Sustainability 10(11):4301
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
70602	1	The Re-Making of Chinese Urban Neighbourhoods: Spatial and socio-economic transformations and access to public services in Tianjin, Hangzhou, Chengdu	Ya Ping Wang	Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)	ES/N010981/1	SPS - URBAN STUDIES