Experiences of place attachment and mental wellbeing in the context of urban regeneration

Lomas, MJ; Ayodeji, E; Brown, P

Abstract

Urban regeneration is an important policy focus across the European Union, with initiatives seeking to address inequalities in public health. Although theoretically such initiatives should produce benefits for mental wellbeing, this lacks strong supporting evidence. The current research addressed a prior overreliance on quantitative methods and underappreciation of the psychological significance of place, through the adoption of qualitative interviews with residents, as part of an independent review of a £650m regeneration project. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was utilised to explore the processes involved in residents' mental wellbeing and place attachment. Analysis developed three super-ordinate themes: ‘feelings of control’, ‘social and community relations’, and ‘understandings and definitions of place’. These highlight issues relating to physical health, social isolation, community cohesion, as well as the potential for regeneration activities to undermine various elements of the people-place relationship.

Citation

Lomas, M., Ayodeji, E., & Brown, P. (2021). Experiences of place attachment and mental wellbeing in the context of urban regeneration. Health and Place, 70, 102604. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2021.102604

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 5, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Jun 20, 2021
• Publication Date: Jul 1, 2021
• Deposit Date: Jun 24, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 20, 2022
• Journal: Health & Place
• Print ISSN: 1353-8292
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Volume: 70
• Pages: 102604
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2021.102604
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2021.102604
• Related Public URLs: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/health-and-place/