“You Can't Always Get What You Want…”? Prior-Attitudes and Post-Experiences of Relocation from Restructured Neighbourhoods

This study uses a longitudinal, qualitative research methodology to compare residents' prior attitudes towards relocation from restructured neighbourhoods with their experiences post-move. Participants were householders in families with children, with interviews carried out shortly before, and up to 18 months after relocation. There was generally a good fit between prior attitudes and post-experiences, although those who had not wanted to move reported more gains than expected, and those who had wanted to move to get on' with their lives had yet to make major changes in their lives after relocation. There was some retrospective reassessment of prior attitudes after relocation, consistent with the notion of low expectations among deprived area residents. There were both social and psychosocial gains from relocation, with a weak prior sense of community and inconsistent effects of distance upon social outcomes. Important mediators of adult experiences and outcomes were personality, health status and relations with children.