Physical environmental factors that affect users’ willingness to visit neighbourhood centres in China

ABSTRACT The physical environment is crucial for creating an attractive and sustainable neighbourhood centre. Previous research has explored various aspects of the physical environments of community public spaces; however, few studies have focused on neighbourhood centres in China or elucidated how to prioritize those factors to affect willingness to visit. A questionnaire survey was used to capture which potential physical environmental factors most affect residents’ perceived willingness to visit a neighbourhood centre. Three hundred fifty-six valid survey answers were collected online from residents of Zhejiang Province, China. The results highlight key physical environmental factors and their relative priorities; safety factors are the most valued by residents, whereas green spaces, number and quietness (which have been discussed in previous studies) are considered generally unimportant. The key factors were classified into three groups: spatial quality, accessibility and spatial capacity. The results presented herein provide new insights from residents about neighbourhood centres. The research developed a comprehensive framework for assessing the physical environment of a neighbourhood centre based on key factor prioritization and grouping characteristics that can guide designers and decision makers in assessing and enhancing neighbourhood centres in communities with limited resources.