Responses do not mean residents are prejudiced or that there is conflict

But those who move into multi-cultural neighbourhoods are unaffected

They are happier when they leave to live in areas with fewer foreigners

An influx of foreigners makes existing residents feel unhappier and more socially isolated, a major study has revealed.

Residents living in areas where there were new ethnic groups said they felt less attached to their communities over time.

Meanwhile residents who left a more diverse neighbourhood in favour of a community made up of others from their own ethnic group reported feeling happier.

However Britons who moved to already diverse areas were unaffected by the different ethnicities and social groups, researchers found.

Changing communities: Residents living in areas where new ethnic groups said they felt less attached to their neighborhoods over time (file image)

The 17-year study of more than 10,000 people was carried out by The University of Manchester and the Economic and Social Research Council.

The paper, which is published in the European Sociology Review, set out to test the idea that ethnic diversity has a harmful effect on community cohesion.

It examined the way those who stay in diversifying neighbourhoods react to the changes versus those who move out of the communities.

Sociologist Dr James Laurence, who co-authored the study, said: 'There has long been an "assumption" increasing ethnic diversity in an area undermines residents' social cohesion.

'On one hand our study supports this, for example where people report feeling happier when they move out of diverse areas and into neighbourhoods where they are surrounded by more people like them.

'However we find there are people happily moving into diverse areas who are unaffected by the presence of different ethnicities and social groups.

'Also diversity actually has a relatively weaker effect on people who stay in a community in which diversity is increasing around them.'

He added that just because diversity can undermine cohesion in a neighbourhood, it does not mean that residents are prejudiced or that such change causes conflicts between the different groups.

Britons who moved to already diverse areas were unaffected by the different ethnicities and social groups, researchers found (file image)

Dr Laurence said there are a number of reasons why residents might feel a decline in the sense of community as an area grows more diverse.

One of these is the fact that rapid changes can make people feel less sure of the area around them. Another is that people tend to spend time with those they see to be more like them.

He said: 'Increasing diversity may reduce cohesion as people simply see their neighbours as being more different to them; that they may have different values, different interests and different norms, which can hold up contact.'

However these effects are likely quite short term, he added. 'Getting to know neighbours from different groups over time can go a long way to replenishing short term dips in cohesion.'