ABSTRACT
Gated or walled communities have proliferated in America, and appear increasingly in regions such as the Middle East, Australia, South Africa and Central and South America. Gated communities respond to the same underlying root issues that generate NIMBYism: concerns about property values, personal safety and neighbourhood amenities. Gated enclaves represent the hope of security; they appeal to consumers searching for a sense of community and identity; they offer an important niche marketing strategy for developers in a competitive environment; they keep out the unwelcome; they often come associated with attractive amenities; they increase property values. Gated communities raise significant questions related to affordability, segregation and connectivity. Most planners who responded to the survey said their communities had no gated projects, and no policy to deal with them. More commonly, communities seek simply to regulate the fencing around developments and the size of projects.
