ABSTRACT
Where people live in cities impacts their wellbeing differently, with urban density, deprivation and walkability playing a key role. The chapter authors posited that living in high-density, high-deprivation neighbourhoods do not improve residents’ wellbeing, nor are these areas perceived to be walkable. To test the hypothesis, the authors distributed a wellbeing questionnaire to 233 adults living in 12 neighbourhoods in Birmingham, Lancaster and Southampton (UK) that differed depending on low or high density and low or high deprivation, and undertook a walkability audit in those neighbourhoods. The results indicated that high-density, high-deprivation neighbourhoods performed better than their low-density, high-deprivation counterparts for both wellbeing and walkability. Residents of low-density, low-deprivation areas had the best wellbeing, whereas high-density, low-deprivation areas had the best walkability. Application of these results to design, planning and health practice and policy are discussed.
