Influence of neighborhoods-built environment on the level of satisfaction among dwellers of a mining city in eastern India

Abstract

Neighbourhood built environment plays a crucial role in shaping residents satisfaction and urban quality of life, particularly in industrial and mining cities where environmental degradation and infrastructural inequality remain major urban challenges. The study aims to evaluate how the neighbourhoods-built environment affects the satisfaction levels among residents in the study area. Quality of the built environment will be assessed based on indicators related to housing quality, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) and drainage, neighbourhood infrastructure and pollution levels. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to develop the Neighborhoods-built Environment Index (NbEI). From integrated zoning, 10 sampling points were chosen to conduct 150 household surveys using structured questionnaires to measure how people perceive their neighbourhood. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used to evaluate the relationship between neighbourhood condition and satisfaction. Results show that only 14.67% of people lived in a good neighbourhood-built environment, while 42.67% faced poor-quality neighbourhoods. The finding also highlights that those living in a neighbourhood with good WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) and drainage conditions are significantly (OR = 7.601; p < 0.05) more likely to report high levels of satisfaction than respondents living in a neighbourhood without these features. People living in neighbourhoods with cleaner air had a greater than 13.182 ( p < 0.05) higher likelihood to report satisfaction than people living with polluted air. These findings highlight the importance of improving housing quality, WASH services, neighbourhood infrastructure, and environmental conditions to enhance residential satisfaction in industrial cities. The study provides evidence to support environmentally sensitive and inclusive urban planning strategies that contribute to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action) while offering a useful framework for neighbourhood-level planning and policy interventions.