Shrinking cities in Europe

Many British cities faced decades of decline in the latter half of the 20th century. Despite the fact that most have subsequently experienced a period of re-urbanisation, many pockets of decline remain, and in many cities the drivers of regrowth remain fragile. In other parts of Europe (especially in the east) concerns about urban decline have only recently come onto the policy agenda, in the form of debates about 'shrinking cities'. Although the term may be relatively unfamiliar to British planners, the concept and its implications are highly relevant to the future of our cities, particularly in light of concerns about the economic North-South divide. The weakening of central government commitment to urban regeneration, and the relaxation in planning controls that might follow any 'presumption in favour of sustainable development'. Over the past three years, a multi-disciplinary consortium of planners and social scientists from across Europe has been exploring the trajectories of shrinking cities, the resulting challenges, and governance responses through a research project entitled 'Smart Shrinkage'. This article looks at some of the study's findings.