High-rise housing: An attempt at de-mystification

CHAPTER 1 discusses the build-up of the tradition of multi-storey housing as a public sector housing form. It examines the tradition of flat living, comparing the Scottish experience to England and Wales. The main focus is a concern with the culmination of events, their relative importance and interaction, leading up to the widespread acceptance of high-rise housing during the 1960's. This is discussed at both a national and local level, distinguishing between experience in the Clyde Valley, Scotland as a whole and England and Wales. Some attempt is made to analyse the rapid contraction of high-rise construction, and the legacy which remains. CHAPTER 2 draws together some spatial comparisons of this housing form at both the international and national (Scottish) levels. Policy implications from foreign experience which may be applicable at a local level are considered. Some attempt is made to lay the foundations for an inventory of public sector high-rise dwellings at a Scottish level. Comparisons of the nature of the stock and policy directions are drawn between Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen. CHAPTER 3 reviews the literature available to date concerning the problems associated with multi-storey housing. To structure the discussion, the comment is considered in three general subject areas - economic, physical and social aspects - although their interaction and interdependence is stressed throughout. Economic aspects are concerned with the comparable construction costs of high-rise in relation to other dwelling forms, and the implications of multi-storey housing for land, labour and other capital and current resource expenditure. For convenience, physical aspects were separated to the scales of the individual dwelling, the block and the estate. Social aspects are concerned with the suitability of high-rise for different household types and the effects of household mix in fostering social relationships. The impact of high-rise on health is also discussed. The implications of child-density and vandalism on high-rise estates are considered. CHAPTER 4 is concerned with devising an alternative approach to measuring the popularity of multi-storey estates in Glasgow. The limitations of past research - its predominant concern with attitude surveys and studies of a small scale and independent nature - are considered. The local authority housing process - the mechanism of access, allocation and control - sets the framework for an analysis of "indicators of popularity" - vacancy, turnover rates and transfer requests - on multi-storey estates. Glasgow District Council "Housing Preference Study" provides a useful starting point, although its limitations are substantial. The multi-storey sample is compared to the total population of estates in the city in terms of the "indicators of popularity", while the latent characteristics of the sample according to a range of physical and locational criteria are explored. A preliminary attempt is made, using regression analysis, to explain the variation in turnover and vacancy rates within the multi-storey sample itself. Several suggestions are proposed for a potential refinement of the model and directions for future research. CHAPTER 5 is concerned explicitly with the problem of "difficult-to-let" high-rise estates and the range of alternative strategies currently being considered and implemented in the U.K. to tackle the issue. As policy direction is felt to be related to the nature of the problem definition, given the inadequate research by the local authorities concerned, the discussion is structured to a consideration of physical, social and housing management "solutions". These range from conventional, ameliorative measures e.g. physical improvement, social infrastructure provision, and restrictive allocation to the radical e.g. demolition, sale, tenant control. While still concentrating on Glasgow, examples are cited from a wide range of British cities