Beyond Units: Regional insights into the creation of sustainable communities

<p dir="ltr">The English housing development sector is often described as being in crisis, facing complex challenges - for and from - multiple stakeholders. A key issue is sustainability and its connection to building healthy communities. This research examines structural shifts over the past 40 years, including the decline of regional SMEs and the dominance of a few large developers, which has shaped current housing discourse.</p><p dir="ltr">Rather than reducing success to the number of units built, this study reintroduces regionalism, place, and sustainable community development into the debate. It critically examines how ‘region’ is defined and its implications for housing, sustainability, and community-building. The research explores regional identities through an institutional lens such as planning and policy, highlighting shifting stakeholder interests and power dynamics.</p><p dir="ltr">Currently, housing rhetoric is largely shaped by national developers, often serving their own agendas. This study challenges prevailing narratives, arguing that regional definitions are fluid and shaped by those who conceptualise them. It underscores the potential of regional SME housebuilders to contribute to more sustainable and contextually relevant housing solutions.</p>