In a sector where competing priorities are the norm, developers face increasingly complex questions:
- How can we demonstrate the value of wellbeing-focused features to stakeholders?
- Which design interventions will resonate most with different communities?
- With limited resources across a diverse portfolio, what should we prioritise?
Answering these questions requires robust, evidence-based insight.
That’s where the Real Estate Wellbeing Calculator (REWC) comes in. Built on a nationally representative survey of 5,600 people, it quantifies the wellbeing impact of 49 design attributes – such as green space or renewable energy – across over 7,500 demographic segments, from rural communities in Scotland to low-income residents in Manchester. REWC translates subjective preferences into financialised values for scalability, comparability, and more informed decision-making.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the powerful insights now available to help design teams make smarter, more targeted decisions that truly support thriving communities.
Why wellbeing in real estate matters more than ever
One of the most persistent challenges facing the real estate sector is a lack of public trust in the planning system. Many residents feel that private developers and local authorities are not acting in their best interests – the data makes this clear.
In a 2019 study by Grosvenor, just 2% of people said they trusted developers, while only 7% trusted local authorities.
When Social Value Portal revisited this research in 2025 as part of our Real Estate Wellbeing Survey, the numbers had improved – but only modestly. Trust in developers and councils rose to 16%, suggesting that efforts to embed Social Value in recent years may be starting to shift perceptions.
However, trust remains tenuous and uneven. It is lowest among older residents, lower-income groups, and those in rural areas, indicating a clear gap between who benefits from development and who feels heard by the planning system.
The causes are complex, but the implications are clear: if developers want to rebuild trust, they must focus on visibly and measurably improving quality of life for local communities.
Wellbeing-focused design offers one of the most direct and credible ways to do that. The evidence shows that even small, targeted interventions – like access to green space or community facilities –can deliver real value for residents.
Putting wellbeing into context
Let’s start with an example of a common wellbeing feature in real estate developments – large green space.
Research shows that it is associated with a myriad of wellbeing benefits. But with REWC, we can see that its value to people’s wellbeing is changeable depending on who you’re designing for:
- People in the lowest income brackets: £176
- Young adults (18–34): £104
- People from non-white backgrounds: £121
These numbers illustrate who benefits most and help target investment where it will deliver the greatest impact. The data also uncovers subtle patterns:
- Urban vs rural: Urban residents generally place higher value on community-focused amenities compared to rural residents.
- Income: Initially, higher income seems to correlate with a higher ‘willingness to pay’. But after adjusting for the higher relative value of a pound to lower-income individuals, we find that lower-income groups in fact derive more relative wellbeing value from the same interventions.
What design attributes do residents value most?
When it comes to designing for wellbeing, residents (in this context, a “resident” is someone living in the community local to the asset) across different geographies have different preferences.
Here are the most valued attributes for different regions:
- The site generates renewable energy – Greater London: £165
- Affordable swimming pool – Greater Manchester: £145
- Community garden – Northern Ireland: £209
- Affordable gym space and relevant facilities – Scotland: £149
- Free, flexible community space that is always available for people to gather – Wales: £389
But that’s not the end of the story. Deep diving into a particular attribute uncovers nuances that designers will struggle to see without the right tools.
Attribute spotlight: Community gardens
For instance, among the 49 attributes measured, community gardens are particularly popular in Northern Ireland. But a community garden’s value varies notably across demographics:
- Older adults (65+) rank it highest among all features, assigning it a value of £102 per year
- Young adults aged 25–34 is the age group value that values it the highest, at £108
- Urban residents place greater value on community gardens than rural residents, suggesting that green spaces feel more precious in denser environments
- Females rate this attribute slightly more highly than males
- Households with children also place a higher value on community gardens compared to those without
This level of detail reveals just how nuanced wellbeing preferences can be and how important it is to make truly targeted design choices.
How robust wellness data supports better decisions
Data-driven insight has the power to transform the way that design teams approach wellbeing. The Real Estate Wellbeing Calculator supports three critical forms of analysis:
Trade-off analysis: Choosing the right interventions
Designing for wellbeing often means making choices between features that all have potential benefits. The REWC helps developers navigate these trade-offs by quantifying the average wellbeing value of different attributes across different demographics.
For example, among the general population:
- Community space that groups can reserve: £78
While the difference here is small, demographic segmentation tells a richer story that will help developers make targeted decisions:
Among 18–24-year-olds:
Among 25–34-year-olds:
These insights provide an evidence-based foundation for prioritisation – but they’re not the whole picture.
We recommend that developers use data points like these as a starting point for dialogue with local communities. Combined with direct community engagement, they can help structure more transparent and responsive design decisions.
Scenario analysis: Allocating resources impactfully
When resources are limited and choices must be made, a data-driven approach can tell you what attributes to prioritise.
Let’s say a developer is deciding where to place a proposed community kitchen. REWC shows us where it will deliver the greatest wellbeing value:
Cost-benefit analysis: Demonstrating value to stakeholders
In a development project, you need to be able to explain the value delivered by your design choices in a way that resonates with stakeholders:
- Access to large green space delivers £84 in wellbeing value per person per year
- For 500 residents, that totals £42,000 annually
Now scale that across multiple features and over time:
- Public art access: £35,000
- Water leisure space access: £45,500
- Multiply across 10 years = £122,500 in total wellbeing value
Compared to a £20 million capital investment, that’s a 6% uplift in wellbeing value – a compelling addition to traditional ROI.
Bringing wellbeing to the heart of design
The case for designing with wellbeing in mind has never been stronger, and now the tools to do so are finally catching up.
The Real Estate Wellbeing Calculator offers a practical, evidence-based way to embed wellbeing from day one. It supports smarter decisions, clearer stakeholder engagement, and better outcomes for communities.
Want a quick overview of how it works? Download your free guide below:
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