The Challenges of Social Infrastructure for Urban Planning

Abstract

This editorial addresses social infrastructure in relation to urban planning and localisation, drawing together the themes in this thematic issue on “Localizing Social Infrastructures: Welfare, Equity, and Community.” Having contextualised social infrastructure, we present each of the 12 contributions by theme: (a) the social consequences of the localisation of social infrastructure for individuals, (b) the preconditions for localising social infrastructure in the urban landscape, and (c) the social consequences for the long-term social sustainability of the wider community. We conclude with the openings for future research, such as the need to continue researching localisation (for example, the ways localisations of social infrastructure support, maintain, or hinder inclusion and community-building, and which benefits would come out of using localisation as a strategic planning tool); second, funding (the funding of non-commercial social infrastructure and who would take on the responsibility); and third, situated knowledge (the knowledge needed by planners, architects, social service officials, decision makers, and the like to address and safeguard the importance of social infrastructure in urban development and regeneration processes).