Assessing urban social sustainability with the Place Standard Tool: Measurement, findings, and guidance

Abstract

This study introduces the Place Standard Tool as an instrument for assessing urban social sustainability. The Place Standard Tool was developed in Scotland as a simple framework to evaluate physical (e.g., buildings, public spaces, transport system), social (e.g., social interaction, identity and belonging, safety), and procedural (e.g., public participation, sense of control) aspects concerning places, neighborhoods, and districts. The tool was tested in three cities in Norway – Kristiansand, Stavanger, and Fredrikstad – through a transdisciplinary collaboration between researchers, municipalities, and local stakeholders. We first present the methodology we applied for testing the tool and then report some indicative findings. Next, municipal advisors present their qualitative assessment of the tool discussing its usefulness for urban planning and local governance. Finally, researchers offer theoretical and methodological guidance: they theoretically discuss the relevance of the tool for urban social sustainability, present its strengths and weaknesses, and provide methodological recommendations for future applications.