The Road to Decent Neighbourhoods

Join the Centre for the New Midlands and an invited group of 20 senior leaders from the West Midlands and across the UK as we share our progress and invite further input into the development of a Decent Neighbourhood Standard.

Neighbourhoods are geographically bound and socially constructed spaces that connect housing and communities. Shaped by physical, social, and economic infrastructure and conditions, they form the foundation of daily life and have a direct impact on community wellbeing. Over time, the significance of neighbourhoods has evolved, driven by technological advancements that enable hyper-local insights and by climate challenges that demand place-based sustainability.

In 2025, neighbourhoods have re-emerged as critical levers for change from regeneration to community resilience. The Labour government’s Plan for Neighbourhoods allocates £1.5 billion to empower 75 communities to shape their development, while the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods (ICON) identifies over 600 “mission-critical” areas in need of targeted, local investment. These initiatives build on past programmes like the New Deal for Communities, showing the transformative potential of long-term, community-led planning.

Against this backdrop, the Centre for the New Midlands, in partnership with Social Life, is developing a Decent Neighbourhood Standard – a framework inspired by both the component themes and the spirit of the Decent Homes Standard, adapted to reflect the broader determinants of neighbourhood quality. This approach crucially seeks to address the accountability gap for neighbourhood quality by setting a baseline for what constitutes a decent neighbourhood and refining this in collaboration with communities. Grounded in seminal urban design theories and supported by community collaboration and participatory methods such as neighbourhood diagnostics, the emerging framework encompasses four core themes:

• Neighbourhood Quality Standards
• Accountability, Influence and Stewardship
• Reducing Inequalities and Enabling Aspirations, and
• Securing a Sustainable Future

These pillars are being piloted in partnership with Witton Lodge Community Association (WLCA) in North Birmingham, forming the basis of our first demonstrator project. This collaboration will establish a baseline for neighbourhood quality, map local accountability structures, assess neighbourhood impacts, and co-develop a localised Decent Neighbourhood Standard with their community.

This roundtable aims to spark expert dialogue across policy, practice, and academia on the essential components of a Decent Neighbourhood Standard, how it can align with existing policy and research programmes and methodologies, address evidence gaps, reflect lived experience and be practically adopted.

Our ambition is to co-create a practical yet rigorous framework that supports ongoing neighbourhood and place-based initiatives, strengthens collaboration, and advances our shared agenda for thriving, inclusive, and sustainable communities.

Please note that this event is an invitation only event and priory for attendance will be given to our Reimagining the Region members, with invitations due to be sent out to our partners at the start of May.  Should you feel that this is an event you wish to attend, please email events@thenewmidlands.org.uk

If your organisation is not yet a member of our network, please visit our membership pages to join.  Annual rates start from £450 + VAT – we look forward to welcoming you.  Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact chris@thenewmidlands.org.uk