What is a Sustainable Community?
Sustainable development is one of the important thing that we should care. This is because we must make sure everything we do in our life is right and to make sure that we are sustain for the future generation. Based on the Egan Review in publication of Skills for Sustainable Communities, "Sustainable communities meet the diverse needs of existing and future residents, their children and other users, contribute to a high quality of life and provide opportunity and choice. They achieve this in ways that make effective use of natural resources, enhance the environment, promote social cohesion and inclusion and strengthen economic prosperity". From the other perspective, sustainable communities are communities planned, built, or modified to promote sustainable living. This may include sustainability aspects relating to social and cultural, governance, transport and connectivity, services, environment, inclusive, housing and the built environment and also economy.
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Components of Sustainable Communities
by North East Lincolnshire
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Sustainable communities are diverse, reflecting their local circumstances. There is no standard template to fit them all. But they should be:
1. Active,
inclusive and safe –
fair, tolerant and cohesive with a strong local culture and
other shared community activities
Sustainable
communities offer:
- a sense
of community identity and belonging
- tolerance,
respect and engagement with people from different cultures, background and
beliefs
- friendly,
co-operative and helpful behaviour in neighbourhoods
- opportunities
for cultural, leisure, community, sport and other activities, including
for children and young people
- low levels of crime, drugs and
anti-social behaviour
with visible, effective and community-friendly
policing
- social inclusion and good life chances
for all
2. Well
run –
with effective and inclusive participation, representation and leadership
Sustainable communities
enjoy:
- representative,
accountable governance systems which both facilitate strategic, visionary leadership
and enable inclusive, active and effective participation by individuals
and organisations
- effective engagement
with the community at neighbourhood level, including capacity building to
develop the community’s skills, knowledge and confidence
- strong, informed and
effective partnerships that lead by example (e.g. government, business, community)
- a strong, inclusive,
community and voluntary sector
- a sense of civic
values, responsibility and pride
3. Environmentally
sensitive –
providing places for people to live that are considerate of
the environment
Sustainable communities:
- actively seek to
minimise climate change, including through energy efficiency and the use
of renewable
- Protect the
environment, by minimising pollution on land, in water and in the air.
- minimise waste and
dispose of it in accordance with current good practice
- make efficient use of
natural resources, encouraging sustainable production and consumption
- protect and improve
bio-diversity (e.g. wildlife habitats)
- enable a lifestyle
that minimises negative environmental impact and enhances positive impacts
(e.g. by creating opportunities for walking and cycling, and reducing
noise pollution and dependence on cars)
- create cleaner, safer
and greener neighbourhoods (e.g. by reducing litter and graffiti, and
maintaining pleasant public spaces)
4. Well
designed and built –
featuring a quality built and natural environment
Sustainable communities
offer:
- a sense of place (e.g.
a place with a positive ‘feeling’ for people and local distinctiveness)
- user-friendly public
and green spaces with facilities for everyone including children and older
people
- sufficient range,
diversity, affordability and accessibility of housing within a balanced housing
market
- appropriate size,
scale, density, design and layout, including mixed-use development, that
complement the distinctive local character of the community and that use modern
low cost building methods
- high quality,
mixed-use, durable, flexible and adaptable buildings, using materials
which minimise negative environmental impacts
- buildings and public
spaces which promote health and are designed to reduce crime and make
people feel safe
- accessibility of jobs,
key services and facilities by public transport, walking and cycling
5. Well
connected –
with good transport services and communication linking people to
jobs, schools, health and other services
Sustainable communities
offer:
- transport facilities,
including public transport, that help people travel within and between communities
and reduce dependence on cars
- facilities to
encourage safe local walking and cycling
- an appropriate level
of local parking facilities in line with local plans to manage road
traffic demand
- widely available and
effective telecommunications and Internet access good access to regional,
national and international communications networks
6. Thriving –
with a flourishing and diverse local economy
Sustainable communities
feature:
- a wide range of jobs
and training opportunities
- sufficient suitable
land and buildings to support economic prosperity and change
- dynamic job and
business creation, with benefits for the local community
- a strong business
community with links into the wider economy economically viable and
attractive town centres
7. Well
served –
with public, private, community and voluntary services that are appropriate
to people's needs and accessible to all
Sustainable communities
have:
- well-performing local
schools, further and higher education institutions, and other opportunities
for life-long learning
- high quality local
health care and social services, integrated where possible with other
services
- high quality services
for families and children (including early years child care)
- a good range of
affordable public, community, voluntary and private services (e.g. retail,
fresh food, commercial, utilities, information and advice) which are accessible
to the whole community
- service
providers who think and act long term
and beyond their own immediate geographical
and interest boundaries, and who
involve users and local residents in shaping
their policy and practice
8. Fair
for everyone –
including those in other communities, now and in the future.
Sustainable communities:
- recognise individuals’
rights and responsibilities
- respect the rights and
aspirations of others (both neighbouring communities, and across the wider
world) also to be sustainable
- have due regard for
the needs of future generations in current
decisions and actions
sources: Sustainable Communities; People, Places and Prosperity (2005)
