In this paper, social infrastructure is defined as life-long social service needs related to health, education, early childhood, community support and development, culture, sport and recreation, parks, and emergency services. The timely delivery of social infrastructure is vital since it addresses social service needs across the lifespan – ie, essential services that create the material and cultural living conditions for an area.

Current methods used to plan infrastructure delivery in communities were analysed, and a new conceptual framework of social infrastructure was developed and empirically tested using geocoded health survey data related to spatial social infrastructure measures. Linked to health outcomes data of more than 7000 residents, both accessibility and mix of social infrastructure were associated with higher subjective wellbeing. 

It is now well known that people’s health outcomes are influenced by their postcode and geographic residence, and better health outcomes are associated with the provision of destinations within walking distances. Currently, spatial planning for social infrastructure lacks the same research attention as hard infrastructure systems, such as roads, telecommunications and water systems. The evidence gap linking social infrastructure location and provision to health outcomes therefore needs to be filled.

This study focused on social infrastructure accessible in residential areas, eg, community centres; sports, recreation and leisure centres; places of culture such as cinemas, libraries, museums and art galleries; state educational establishments and early-year and out-of-school child care facilities; and a range of health and social care amenity centres. 

Planning of social infrastructure has direct implications on the health of residents and the liveability of communities. City planners must recognise that to secure better liveability and population health, new methods are needed for the planning, delivery and ongoing monitoring of social infrastructure delivery.

As well as providing a clear definition of neighbourhood social infrastructure, this analysis offers a deeper understanding of the role of that social infrastructure in providing a healthy environment and supporting a more liveable community. The research provides both new assessment and methods for social infrastructure planning to support the creation of equitable, healthy and liveable communities into the future.

To read the full research paper, ‘Using spatial measures to test a conceptual model of social infrastructure that supports health and wellbeing’, authored by Melanie Davern, Lucy Gunn, Carolyn Whitzman, Carl Higgs, Billie Giles-Corti, Koen Simons, Karen Villanueva, Suzanne Mavoa, Rebecca Roberts, Hannah Badland, go to the Cites & Health journal website.