Social sustainability is often overlooked in urban planning, yet it’s essential for thriving, resilient communities. This article explores why housing affordability, wellbeing metrics, and social value must be embedded into development policies—and outlines key actions to make it happen.

Place is inextricably linked to longevity, and a wellbeing mindset is a crucial part of the longevity puzzle. As planners, human geographers, stakeholder engagement experts, and government officials we have a significant role to play to apply our knowledge to planning our cities, regions and communities for the longevity and wellbeing of older people.