“Artificial Towns”

The survey results show that a higher proportion of graduates
surveyed are present in newly built gated community areas (16%)
and high status suburban zones (14%). Their proportion is lower
in the city centre (11.8%), in the low (10.1%) and in the high-status
housing estates (10.9%). This suggests that the people with
higher level of educational attainment moved out to the town’s
suburban, family housing zones.
The tensions resulting from socio-spatial inequalities – by the
opinion of the town’s surveyed decision-makers – despite the
above-described facts are “not significant”. This was explained by
the fact that the new higher-status neighbourhoods (gated community
developments, see for example Panorama gated community)
that have been built in the last ten years, have rather “lifted
up the surrounding residential areas,” than caused problems.
However, the positive effects of gated community developments
are not seen by all the professionals in that way, so according to
them new developments do not solve the social problems of the
city at all, but rather reinforce the already strong presence of segregation
and contribute to social exclusion.
Table 8: The proportion of graduates in different urban zones, 2014 (%)
Urban zones Tatabánya New towns’ average
City centre 11.8 11.3
Near centre (high) 12.5 10.5
Near centre (low) 0 21.3
Housing estate (high) 10 12
Housing estate (low) 10.9 7.9
Suburban zone (high) 13.8 13.1
Suburban zone (low) 10.5 7.9
Rural type family home (high) 0 6.5
Rural type family home (low) 18.8 17.5
Villa quarter 0 20
Gated community 15.9 29.3
Enclosed garden, recreation area 4.8 11.4
Slum, poor housing 1.4 6
Source: Hungarian Scientific Research Fund survey data, 2014
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Júlia Schuchmann