Arun District Council: Residents’ Survey
Arun District Council commissioned M·E·L Research to undertake a resident survey across two newly completed housing developments: Windmill Views in Barnham and The Hedgerows in Eastergate. The research formed part of the Council’s wider corporate objective to use the planning system to create high-quality, sustainable developments that meet the needs of current and future generations.
The Council wanted to engage directly with residents who had recently moved into new homes in order to understand how well these developments were functioning as places to live. The feedback was intended to strengthen the Council’s evidence base for Local Plan development and to inform service planning across areas such as transport, housing tenure, local services, amenities and neighbourhood design. A key focus was identifying what worked well within the developments, alongside areas where future schemes could be improved.
The two estates were selected because they were recently built, fully occupied, and broadly representative of the type and scale of residential development being delivered across the district. They were also developed by different housebuilders and located in different parts of Arun, allowing the Council to explore whether residents’ experiences were consistent across sites or influenced by location and design.
A key challenge within the project was the relatively small population sizes of each development, meaning that response rates and sample sizes needed to be maximised in order to generate meaningful insight. The research also needed to balance estate-level reporting with appropriate caution, given the statistical limitations associated with small samples.
Approach
M·E·L Research designed and delivered a mixed-mode resident survey, working in liaison with Arun District Council planning officers to ensure the questionnaire aligned with policy and evidence needs.
Survey design and development
The questionnaire was developed collaboratively with Council officers. Question content was informed by learning from a similar survey previously undertaken on another new development.
The survey covered a broad range of themes, including:
- Previous housing circumstances and motivations for moving
- Household composition
- Play areas and open space provision
- Estate design and layout
- Local services and facilities
- Open-ended feedback on strengths and areas for improvement
- Primary research methodology
Method: Postal questionnaire with online completion option
An initial postal mailing was sent to all addresses, including a paper questionnaire and information on how to complete the survey online via a URL and QR code.
A reminder mailing, including a second copy of the questionnaire, was issued after three weeks to households that had not yet responded, to maximise participation.
Analysis:
Quantitative analysis was undertaken across all closed survey questions. Results were reported both at an overall level and, where appropriate, by individual development. Open-ended responses were reviewed and thematically grouped to capture residents’ priorities, experiences and suggested improvements.
Reporting and deliverables:
M·E·L Research produced a comprehensive written report structured around the key themes of the survey.
The report included:
- Clear charts and tables showing levels of satisfaction with different aspects of the estates and local area
- Contextual interpretation of findings, for example linking parking satisfaction to levels of car ownership
- Direct, anonymised resident quotations to bring qualitative feedback to life, particularly around community feel, safety and estate design
- An appendix documented survey-related correspondence, ensuring a transparent audit trail of engagement activity linked to the research.
Use of findings
The research gave the Council a structured, resident-led evidence base to support both strategic planning and practical service considerations linked to new housing growth.
The outputs provided Arun District Council with:
- Direct resident insight into how new developments were performing as places to live
- Evidence to inform future planning decisions, particularly around parking provision, road design, green space and local infrastructure
- A clearer understanding of what residents valued most, including community feel, safety and environment
- Practical learning to apply to future housing developments across the district
Latest News
M·E·L News
M·E·L Research welcomes new talent as our teams continue to grow
October 2026
M·E·L Research is pleased to welcome four new colleagues to our growing team, strengthening our research and evaluation expertise as we continue to expand our services and support clients.
The appointments of Laura Karban, Associate Director; Bethan Jewsbury, Senior Evaluation Managers; and Chloe Parker, Research Manager, alongside Rhoslyn Davies, who joins us on a short-term basis to provide additional senior evaluation support, bring a wealth of experience across social research, evaluation, public policy…
Read the full post
Industry Insights
Women’s health social research: We’ve talked about the problems. Now let’s do something about them.
October 2026
It was an absolute honour to attend the Women’s Health Conference in London this week, bringing together clinicians, policymakers, campaigners and others passionate about improving women’s health.
As a researcher specialising in women’s health social research, I was excited to have the opportunity to learn, be challenged and exchange ideas with people who share that passion. And I wasn’t disappointed.
There has (quite rightly) been a lot of discussion recently about the gender health gap. But some of the evidence shared…
Read the full post
M·E·L News
Collections inside and out: thinking differently about gardens, heritage and the visitor experience
September 2026
Last week, I had the opportunity to speak at Collections Inside & Out, a symposium hosted at National Trust Chirk Castle & Garden, bringing together people working across gardens, horticulture, heritage, collections and interpretation.
I was, perhaps, a slight interloper among so many people with deep horticultural expertise but every presentation was incredibly interesting and I learned a lot – and broadly managed to follow the general flow of what was being said (still not 100% au fait with taxa…
Read the full post
M·E·L News
Elliot Simmonds to present at Collections Inside & Out Symposium
September 2026
We’re pleased to share that our Commercial Director, Elliot Simmonds, will be speaking at the Collections Inside & Out symposium at National Trust Chirk Castle & Garden on 24 September 2026. Bringing together professionals working across heritage collections, gardens and landscapes, the symposium will explore the relationship between indoor and outdoor heritage and the opportunities created by thinking about them as part of a connected visitor experience.
Elliot’s session, “Integrating Indoor…
Read the full post
M·E·L News
M·E·L Research recognised for outstanding contribution to social value and ethical research
August 2026
M·E·L Research has been named the winner of the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Social Value & Ethical Research 2026 at the UK Enterprise Awards.
The award recognises the values that shape both the work we choose to undertake and the way we deliver it. From building trauma-informed practices into our research to improving inclusion and reinvesting in the communities around us, social responsibility is part of how we operate every day.
Read the full post
Industry Insights
Progress, persistence and the gaps in suicide prevention knowledge
August 2026
New UK-wide research from M·E·L Research’s SPARK report shows improving mental health indicators alongside continuing exposure to suicide, widespread lifetime suicidal thoughts and significant gaps in practical knowledge.
Suicide prevention depends on understanding not only how many people are affected, but also how confident the public feel about recognising risk, starting difficult conversations and finding appropriate support. The Spring 2026 SPARK report from M·E·L Research brings these issues together, providing a detailed picture of attitudes…
Read the full post
