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indexliAçık ErişimEN Assessing Social Sustainability within gated communities in Saudi Arabia
Social sustainability remains one of the least operationalized dimensions of sustainable
development in the built environment, particularly within gated residential communities in
Saudi Arabia. This thesis addresses a clear gap in the literature: although 23 assessment
approaches were systematically reviewed, comprising 19 academic social sustainability
frameworks and 4 neighbourhood-scale assessment tools, only three studies explicitly
addressed social sustainability within gated communities, and no widely adopted, context
sensitive assessment instrument was identified for the Saudi context. This shortage of gated
community-specific tools reveals the fragmented and underdeveloped state of current
measurement efforts and underscores the need for a contextualized framework tailored to Saudi
Arabia.
To address this gap, the study adopted a mixed-method research design that integrated an in
depth literature review, content analysis, and a two-round Delphi technique. The literature
review established the conceptual foundations of social sustainability in gated communities
and identified a broad pool of candidate indicators. These were then examined through content
analysis of the selected frameworks and tools, followed by systematic filtering based on
conceptual relevance and contextual suitability to the Saudi setting. The preliminary
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framework was subsequently refined and validated through two rounds of expert review
involving specialists in urban planning, architecture, and development.
The study resulted in a validated contextualized assessment framework for social sustainability
in Saudi gated communities and in Arab Region. The finalized framework comprises five core
categories: community cohesion and social interaction; safety and security; livability and
quality of place; participatory governance, equity and empowerment; and external relations and
integration. These are organized into 18 sub-categories and 45 indicators that collectively
capture both the internal social dynamics of gated communities and their relationship with the
wider urban context. The framework was rigorously supported by expert consensus and
demonstrated strong internal consistency, with an overall Cronbach’s alpha of 0.86.
This thesis contributes to knowledge by translating the abstract concept of social sustainability
into a practical, empirically grounded, and context-sensitive assessment instrument tailored to
Saudi Arabia. It provides planners, developers, and policymakers with a systematic tool to
evaluate existing and future gated communities, identify strengths and weaknesses, and guide
targeted interventions that enhance social well-being, inclusiveness, and quality of life. In
doing so, the study supports broader efforts to align residential development with the ambitions
of Saudi Vision 2030 and the creation of more socially sustainable communities.
