A framework for planning and evaluating neighborhoods in Sharjah, UAE

Neighborhoods play a vital role in urban development and residents’ interaction with their surroundings. Many cities have developed context-specific neighborhood frameworks to guide growth, improve quality of life, and respond to local needs. However, the Emirate of Sharjah, UAE, lacks a dedicated neighborhood-scale tool, highlighting the need for a structured framework to assess existing conditions and guide future planning interventions. This study introduces the Sharjah Neighborhood Framework as an initial practice-oriented planning-support instrument for evaluating and improving neighborhoods in Sharjah. The framework was developed through a review of neighborhood planning and sustainability assessment literature, an online public survey, and a field study of the Al Juraina 3 neighborhood. The study identifies 27 parameters, organized into sustainability, services, and social dimensions, and applies a transparent procedure for filtering, weighting, and scoring. The framework was tested in Al Juraina 3 to examine its applicability, with the neighborhood achieving a two-star rating in both sustainability and social quality, and a three-star rating in services. The findings demonstrate that the framework can identify neighborhood weaknesses and translate assessment results into short-, medium-, and long-term improvement priorities. Further expert validation and testing are recommended before the formal adoption of the framework.