Ealing (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Ealing Council has outlined guidance for its 20-minute neighbourhood vision, aiming to enhance accessibility and sustainability across the borough’s seven towns.
The goal of the guidelines is to assist developers and other important players in incorporating 20-minute neighborhood concepts into revitalization initiatives that will benefit nearby communities.
The council claims to have developed guidelines outlining how it plans to achieve its goal of having residents in the borough be able to walk or ride a bike to the key facilities they require, such as parks, shops, and doctor’s offices.
According to the council, the guidelines aim to acknowledge the distinctiveness of each of the seven towns in the borough and the fact that local needs will evolve over time.
Additionally, it is based on input it has received from several polls and conversations it has conducted with residents in recent years.
It says the ‘Our 7 Towns – guidance on 20-minute neighbourhoods in Ealing’ is “designed with the needs of residents in mind, and once implemented would offer a long list of potential benefits.”
The 20-minute neighborhoods could “boost local economies, improve residents’ health and wellbeing, offer a better quality of life, and make the air cleaner” since residents wouldn’t have to drive or take public transportation, it continued.
In the end, it will lessen emissions, which will help combat climate change.
Leader of Ealing Council, Councillor Peter Mason said:
“Through 20-minute neighbourhoods, we want to create communities where your daily needs are all within a short walk or cycle from your home, whether that’s your local GP surgery, supermarkets and corner shops, or green and open space, we want our local neighbourhoods and communities to be truly accessible.”
Councillor Shital Manro, the council’s cabinet member for good growth and new homes, added:
“We are an ambitious borough focused on growth, but we’ve always been clear that it must be the right kind of growth – the type that delivers the social infrastructure and amenities that our communities need.”
How will the 20-minute neighbourhoods impact local businesses?
These neighborhoods can improve foot traffic by encouraging walkable environments, which may result in higher sales for nearby merchants. According to studies, improved pedestrian-friendly streets and public areas can lower retail vacancy rates and boost selling by as much as 40%.
The idea supports community wealth-building programs by promoting the retention of local jobs and money. Locals’ talents can be developed and steady, well-paying jobs can be created.
Within 20-minute neighborhoods, mixed-use projects can support a variety of local companies and services, opening doors for entrepreneurship and small business startups.
By fostering a lively and dynamic atmosphere, an emphasis on neighborhood amenities and community centers will draw in more locals and tourists, which will help local companies.
Better place-making investments can increase land values, increasing an area’s appeal to both people and companies. However, in order to avoid gentrification, it is imperative that inexpensive housing choices be preserved.