So, how can civil engineers help aid the development of social infrastructure that tackles issues such as geographical inequality and disproportionate access to important services like healthcare? Time and time again, the idea of a place-based approach is advocated for in modern policy documents across the EU and OECD. A place-based approach shifts the question from “what asset do we need?” Loading…Such an approach could be mirrored in towns and cities globally, and illustrates the way infrastructure can holistically support communities. A place-based approach to infrastructure requires commitment to all three of these principles and, if done well, could turn infrastructure into a catalyst for social cohesion and regeneration.