Assessing the Impact of Urban Regeneration in Districts with Cultural Heritage on Neighbourhood Satisfaction and Social Behaviour: The Case of Heliopolis, Cairo

With ever-growing populations in capital cities, governments are becoming more concerned with the economic aspects of urban regeneration and growth. Yet sometimes growth plans fail to create environments that reflect local values; it is then essential to recognise the effect of built cultural heritage on the satisfaction and subjective well-being of the local community. The study explores associations between regeneration of the built environment and corresponding changes in social behaviour as secondary effects of the decline in urban quality of life. The research is based on a case study approach that investigates the impact of urban regeneration in a district with rich cultural heritage, the “Heliopolis district” in Cairo, Egypt, on neighbourhood satisfaction as an indicator of urban livability. The methodology incorporated in this study is divided into two phases. The first phase was concerned with data collection using two tools: first, a site survey to document the changes that have been made to the urban fabric, and second, an online survey to assess neighbourhood satisfaction within four domains: place identity and legibility; transportation and mobility; walkability and safety; activity pattern and social behaviour. Data gathering is then followed by a descriptive analysis of the statistical results to explain frequencies and trends in social behaviour. Findings suggest that cultural heritage, whether tangible (built) or intangible (intellectual), is a key component of subjective well-being and consequently neighbourhood satisfaction. Demographic factors such as age, physical ability, and social status have a strong impact on neighbourhood satisfaction. Place identity, accessibility, safety, and perceived quality of space have all shown positive correlations to neighbourhood satisfaction. It is essential for policymakers to recognise the possible challenges of urban regeneration and the need for creating effective and equitable regeneration policies.