High-quality suburban living through good services

The study ”High-quality suburban living through good services” provides information for practical application in the maintenance and development of private and public local services in suburbs. In this way, the suburbs might be developed into pleasant residential areas with a sustainable community structure. Areas covered by the study include the Soukka suburb in Espoo and the Koivukylä–Havukoski suburb in Vantaa.

Research data was collected from residents of Soukka and Koivukylä in the spring of 2010, through both mail and online surveys, as well as group discussions. In Soukka, the response rate for surveys was 51.8% (425 replies) and in Koivukylä 39% (508 replies). The study provides a descriptive account and analyses causal relationships. Cross tabulation, correlation and factor analyses, as well as GIS techniques, were used as analysis methods.

As the population structure changes, the importance of local services will be emphasised in both areas researched. Demand for health services, sheltered housing and day activity centres will increase as the population ages. On the other hand, natural developments in the rotation of residents will increase the future need for services for families with children.

Suburban residents deemed grocery stores, libraries and health care centres the most important local services. One kilometre on foot was considered a reasonable maximum distance to such services. Residents would have liked to use Internet services in making appointments with the doctor, booking recreational services and ordering a taxi or transport, if such booking services had been available. With regard to services delivered to homes, the greatest interest was expressed in repair and installation services, cleaning and housekeeping services and home nursing.

Slightly over a third of respondents in both areas cited one or more services whose unavailability complicated everyday domestic life. With regard to individual services, key problems were related to health care centre functions and the selection and prices at grocery stores. Problems were also experienced with barrier-free entry to service environments.

In Koivukylä about a third and in Soukka about a quarter of respondents had considered moving out within the next year. As the most important reasons for relocating, they mentioned changes in their lives and how these affected their need for space and wishes regarding their place of residence. In addition, their residential buildings’ need for renovation and lack of lifts reinforced their wish to move. In both areas, services accounted for around 14 per cent of the reasons cited for moving. Multifaceted social relations promote suburban residents’ satisfaction with and attachment to their residential area. Services also play a significant role in this. Pleasant encounters between residents occur in stores and libraries in particular. In addition, a strong local identity is maintained through local services.

Developing services in the suburbs requires effective interaction between various parties. The key to this is active contact, maintained by the cities, with both service providers and residents. If the current service supply could be made more flexible in terms of the content and structure of the service network, the supply of services in the suburbs could be rapidly and economically adjusted to meet demand. For instance, cooperation between public and commercial services and increasing the number of joint premises would bring synergy gains and reduce the need to move around. Extensive renovation needs in the suburbs and the potential for complementary construction present good opportunities for development.

PUBLICATION
High-quality suburban living through good services (Hyvillä palveluilla laadukkaaseen lähiöasumiseen). Kytö H, Väliniemi-Laurson J, Tuorila H.
National Consumer Research Centre, publications 2/2011 (pdf in Finnish).

Photos: Hannu Kytö

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