Definition of theme Why is this theme important to small towns? What are the consequences of small towns ignoring the theme? If not developed appropriately, new residential areas can: Divide a community, creating a gap between the ‘old’ and ‘new’ populations; Put an unbearable strain on local infrastructure (health services, traffic congestion, parking space, etc.); Make the local housing market too expensive for local residents; Reduce the character of the local built environment by creating sprawling uniform neighbourhoods; or Reinforce the over-dependence on the private automobile, re-directing traffic away from the local high street and creating a dormitory community. What have we discovered about this theme? Case Studies What we recommend Strategy Wheel Content