Gated communities in England: historical perspectives and current developments

It is important to analyse the growth of gated communities and the drivers for their supply and demand, within the context specific to each country’s history. This article uses findings from recent studies of gated communities in England, together with historical material, to explore their typology. It considers the changing social, economic and political conditions which may lead to the emergence of defended collective housing, together with the history of property relations and the concept of public/private land within the English context.