Built to Last? Stability, Change and Community in Shieldfield and Heaton

This booklet shares the key findings from research about perceptions of urban security and dynamics of demolition in residential neighbourhoods.

The research was designed and carried out by Isaac Bell Holmström, with the support of Dwellbeing Shieldfield, for his final dissertation in Local Development at the University of Padua. Over the summer of 2024, we carried out interviews, surveys and focus groups with residents of Shieldfield and Heaton and about their sense of place – their connection to their area.

Our research revealed that while residents in both areas shared pride in their communities, their sense of stability differed dramatically. Heaton residents expressed confidence in their area’s future, while Shieldfield residents lived with persistent rumours of demolition and uncertainty.

This booklet explores these contrasting experiences and what they tell us about community, memory, and urban planning. We make recommendations for those involved in urban planning and neighbourhood renewal to encourage them to factor in the long term and personally-felt impacts of their decisions on residents’ lives, community cohesion and cultural heritage. We also point to next steps for our communities and helpful ideas for communities everywhere looking to nurture their neighbourhoods.