ABSTRACT
This paper explores the sustainability and popularity of neighbourhoods using administrative data at neighbourhood, local authority and regional level in the UK. The paper is based on a number of research projects conducted by the authors on the issue of low and changing demand for housing in the North West and West Midlands conurbation’s of the UK. The research is principally dependent on the use of GIS in determining coterminous boundaries for the analysis of social cohesion, social exclusion, access to community facilities and housing popularity. The research identifies a number of problems associated with the identification of unpopular or low demand housing areas based on the analysis of poverty at small area level and illustrates the value of GIS in assisting with the targeting of resources and the formulation of local urban and housing policy.
