The Examination of the Quality of life of Public Residential Estates in Lekki Peninsula, Lagos

Purpose- The quality of the public realm in residential estates has become a significant issue in academic research in developing nations. There has been little empirical research to examine this with restriction from an applied or problem-oriented perspective in the study area. The paper aims to explore the quality of life of public residential estates in Lekki peninsula, Lagos, Nigeria in order to improve environmental planning and design. The objectives are to examine the environmental quality and explore the quality of the public realm. Design/methodology/approach- A mixed method approach using systematic random sampling was adopted. In the quantitative approach, survey method with a sample frame of 1542 in three purposively selected estates was used. The sample size was arrived from 7.5% of sample frame. The qualitative approach used interview and observational techniques on twenty respondents in each of the three estates to authenticate the qualitative method. Findings- The results of the principal component analysis revealed the qualities of the public realm in the public residential estates represents five themes namely recreation, green areas, mobility, traffic and healthcare synonymous with Kamp et.al, (2013) model. The qualitative result was consistent but showed the presence of healthcare are not adequate enough. Theoretical/Social/Practical implication- Though limited, the presence of crime was identified. This will upsurge the insecurity of the public residential estates if not checked adequately. Originality/Value- The paper identified the presence of recreational facilities as a direct primary focus and suggested the construction of playgrounds, gyms and open spaces which will improve the overall quality of life of the residents and economic possibilities.