Contact us Print this page Large Text Normal Text Small Text

Social Cohesion and Social Connectivity

Socially cohesive communities tend to support healthy behaviours and provide a sense of belonging and sense of community.

Relevance to Checklist

Social cohesion can be facilitated and encouraged by some aspects of the built environment, such as attractive places where people can meet.

However, social cohesion can also be undermined by some forms of development such as housing projects that segregate disadvantaged communities, or trasnport corridors that create barriers to connectivity or community links.

Key associations to improve the relationship between the urban environment and social connectedness include:

  • Designing walkable neighbourhoods
  • Providing accessible community facilities and attractive public spaces
  • Allowing proximity to employment
  • Providing connectivity to nearby developments such as retail and institutions
  • Avoiding dissecting communities with busy arterial roads, railway lines or other substantial barriers

Providing community facilities and public spaces is also important in fostering a sense of community and local identity. Community identity can be further enhanced by designing neighbourhoods and buildings with distinctive and attractive character, often incorporating public art or design elements that reflect local cultural values.

New development presents opportunities to create communities where people have a range of incomes, backgrounds and demographic characteristics, and where concentration of social disadvantage or isolation of vulnerable groups is minimised. Providing fair and equitable access to the community’s resources is a further way of promoting inclusive and harmonious development.

Social infrastructure key questions to ask

How does the policy, plan or development proposal –

  • Provide environments that will encourage social interaction and connection amongst people?
  • Promote a sense of community and attachment to place?
  • Encourage local involvement in planning and community life?
  • Minimise social disadvantage and promote equitable access to resources?
  • Avoid community severance, division or dislocation?

Snapshots of key evidence and leading practice

For an overview of the key evidence and leading practice relating to the issue of Social Cohesion and Social Connectivity click here

Related chapters

Social Infrastructure; Physical Activity; Transport and Physical Connectivity; Quality Employment; Public Open Space

Links to more resources