The concept of ‘planning’ and ‘managing’ cities is not a new one. Local administrations have often tried to tackle the challenges associated with large population density through territorial-based policies.

Until recently, major urban planning strategies covered all aspects of urban planning, both aesthetic and practical: streets, building facades, parks, sewers and water works, facilities and public monuments.

Cities today face new challenges and urban planning has adapted to accommodate these. Administrations have to consider the future of our cities in a globalised and interconnected world, and deal with issues such as climate change mitigation, social inclusion and preserving cultural heritage.  

As described in ‘A practitioner’s guide to neighbourhood regeneration’, our working group on urban regeneration’s November 2011 report: “Urban regeneration is a social, economic, physical, sustainable, demographic, financial and collaborative issue”.

Urban regeneration is at the core of city planning. Urban regeneration can be defined as the integrated local redevelopment of deprived areas (neighbourhood, city, metropolitan area). It covers many aspects of city life: physical, social and environmental. Approaches depend on a city’s history, and therefore policies must be integrated and area-based.