EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Success and the city: learning from international urban policies

Success and the city: learning from international urban policies

Introduction

'Success and the city' is the second in a series of three reports on urban regeneration policy published by 'Policy Exchange' and 'Localis'. In the first report, the authors concluded that current urban policy in the UK is proving ineffective at helping the worst performing cities of the country. In their search for better alternatives, they turn to six city-regions in five different countries. This report illustrates how these city-regions have designed and delivered good urban policy and have therefore become successful centres . Although this analysis was made on the basis of the urban situation in the UK, the case studies also form interesting learning material for other European cities.

Proposition

How can policy to deliver healthy and sustainable cities be made?

Description

Based on research in six city-regions - Vancouver, Amsterdam, the Ruhr, Lódz, Warsaw and Hong Kong - , 'Success and the city' analyses how policy can be made to deliver healthy cities. Collectively, the message from these cities is clear: the most successful have the powers and ambition to initiate change, the freedoms to think and be innovative with policy, and the mechanisms to hold local change to account. Giving cities powers alone, however, cannot buck geography. The most successful also benefit strongly from their location, size and accessibility, and these are sometimes difficult areas to bring within the bounds of policy. Allowing cities the tools to respond proactively to the conditions that they face will be central to their future health, and the health of the country as a whole.

Conclusions

Size matters: it helps for city-regions to be large;

The degree of flexibility given to local areas matters. Where local areas are given more autonomy, regeneration appears easier. However, freedom alone does not guarantee success;

Success requires knowledge;

Location matters;

Contact info

Policy Exchange
London
Phone: +44-20-7340 2650
Fax: +44-20-7222 5859
info@policyexchange.org.uk

Publication date

/03/2008

Project finished

/03/2008

Researcher

Tim Leunig & James Swaffield

Article info
ISBN: 978-1-906097-17-2

Links

Click here to visit the Policy Exchange website Click here to visit the Localis website

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy

Keywords