Abstract: Currently, we are experiencing the re-emergence of interest in ‘community’ as a general reaction to a perceived over-emphasis upon financial solutions to social problems (Gibson and Cameron 2001). In this context, ‘social capital’, a concept that describes good quality social relations, has come to occupy a central position in academic debate, public policy and the practice of community development. Indeed, social capital is now seen as one of the essential ingredients of sustainable communities, as it facilitates regional growth and enables community renewal.