Although many benefits of urban green space networks have been consistently demonstrated, most of the discussion on space connectivity has concentrated on ecological aspects, such as patch–corridor–matrix connectivity. There are limited systematic studies that have investigated the connectedness between urban parks and people. This study aimed to explore the connectedness among urban parks from the users’ perspective by using a systematic literature review. By following the PRISMA protocol and analyzing 54 studies from Scopus and Web of Science between 2017 and 2022, we proposed the concepts of physical connectedness and perceived connectedness. The “physical connectedness” contained the dimensions of road attributes and park attributes, as well as six categories including physical accessibility, street connectivity, the street environment, spatial scale, facilities and amenities, and natural elements. The “perceived connectedness” mainly referred to people’s perception of the physical environment. The four categories were perceived accessibility, perceived safety, aesthetics, and Kaplan’s perceptual model. Finally, in terms of individual attributes, the impact of sociodemographic factors (age, gender, income, education, and occupation) and the motivation for activity on park connectedness were also taken into account. On the basis of our findings, this study suggested that park connectedness should not only focus on physical connectedness but also perceived connectedness.

Purpose: This study aims to explore the value of pocket parks and associated factors, as well as the differences between pocket parks and other green spaces, and finally to identify the role of pocket parks in cities.Design/methodology/approach: This study adopts a systematic literature review method to identify 85 articles from the Web of Science and other sources. The Nvivo12plus software was employed to qualitatively analyse the value of pocket parks, and the key associated factors were visualised via the NVivo word cloud function.Findings: As a result, pocket parks reflected high social, environmental ecological, cultural aesthetic values but low economic value. Compared to other large-scale green spaces, the particularity of pocket parks lies in their ambiguity and temporality of space and high reliance on the surrounding environment. Small and scattered pocket parks in the city are like “convenience stores” and “green magnets”, and connectivity should be strengthened to promote urban regeneration.Originality/value: Compared with previous studies that mostly focused on large urban green spaces, the originality of this study is that it elaborates on the importance and values of pocket parks and proposes the particularity and roles of pocket parks in cities, which enriches the theoretical knowledge of pocket parks. In terms of practical applications, the proposed diverse values and associated factors contribute to guiding the planning, management and operation of pocket parks. Moreover, the roles of pocket parks help enhance park connectivity and establish a park network system.

The study intended to explore planning strategies gaps in ten-year perspective and medium-term development framework plans for agro-based industrial development in secondary cities of Sindh Province, Pakistan. Document review and key informant interviews survey techniques were used for data collection. A total of 30 interviews were conducted from agro-based officials. The SWOT analysis technique was applied for data analysis. The results revealed the weaknesses of high priority for textile and sugar industries, lack of planning strategies for agro-based development in secondary cities, dependency on federal government for development funds and absence of finances to implement plans. The threats were unavailability of strategic agro-based infrastructure facilities in secondary cities, centralized planning system, cross border threats such as the war in Afghanistan and migration of Afghan refugees, weak law and order situation and diversion of development budget for defense activities. The study suggests decentralization of powers and robust planning strategies in the development plans to strengthen secondary cities of Sindh Province economically.

Neighborhood facilities received global attention in sustainability implementation because they meet the daily needs of residents and represent the relationship between them, neighborhoods, and cities. This study aims to reveal the factors influencing sustainable facilities in Chinese neighborhoods under rapid urbanization through a systematic review of relevant empirical studies and the Chinese context. This review looks through the Scopus and WoS databases for 59 papers published between 1981 and 2025 on the implementation of sustainable neighborhood facilities; additional evidence was collected from neighborhood sustainability assessments (NSAs) conducted around the world and China’s current relevant regulations in neighborhood facilities for the literature review. The findings indicate that the influencing factors of sustainable neighborhood facilities are an intersubjective structure of providers, recipients, and coordinating mediators. This study extends the current knowledge and literature on sustainable neighborhood facilities and deepens our understanding of how sustainability implementation standards and decision-making influence these facilities to improve livability in China. Meanwhile, it also provides a perspective on four aspects, including the compilation of influencing factors, the development of assessment tools, the categorization assessment, and the development of a framework of sustainable neighborhood facilities in China. In addition, it further enriches sustainable cities and neighborhoods in applications worldwide.

Purpose: This study investigated the role of community infrastructure planning in Sarawak, Malaysia, by concentrating on the obstacles that hinder effective governance of community infrastructure planning.Design/methodology/approach: The qualitative approach via case study design was adopted in this study. The Song District, located in the State of Sarawak, Malaysia, was selected as the case study area. Semi-structured interview sessions were conducted with 21 respondents who belonged to the government agencies involved in rural community infrastructure planning and village community representatives to capture their views on community infrastructure development planning in the selected district. The gathered responses were analysed thematically and the outcomes are discussed.Findings: The findings revealed that although the development of community infrastructure in Song District has progressed and has exerted transformative impacts on rural livelihood, several challenges were identified in the delivery of community infrastructure. The four main themes of challenges that emerged from the data were location factors, financial resources, cooperation and collaboration of stakeholders, as well as community involvement. The outcomes disclosed that, in terms of governance, the institutional roles of the community, stakeholders and government agencies must be integrated throughout the rural community infrastructure planning process to resolve the emerging challenges effectively so that the demands of the rural community are met meritoriously.Social implications: An effective and efficient community infrastructure planning approach ascertains that the community infrastructure development gaps in rural areas are bridged and brings fruition to the rural communities for their livelihood transformation.Originality/value: This paper delineates a view on the governance aspect of community infrastructure planning in Sarawak, Malaysia, that is largely untapped. The study outcomes may facilitate practitioners and academics to move forward and recommend improvements in the approach to rural community infrastructure planning.