Belonging to a community is a powerful need in humans and is central to our wellbeing. This is partly about community groups and events, but many of us feel a strong sense of belonging even if we don’t have the time to go to a meeting or engage in community activities. It is about being part of a group and sharing an identity; about trust, cooperation and reciprocity. This is built by knowing our neighbours, chatting to fellow parents at the school gate or in the park, or even just nodding at our fellow dog walkers and exchanging pleasantries with local shopkeepers. This is all too often taken for granted and is hard to create, especially in new developments. However, there are things we can do with the mix of housing, the design of the neighbourhoods and the social infrastructure that can encourage this sense of belonging.