Reshaping Urban Space – How to Give New Significance to Forgotten Places? – the topic of the next discussion panel of during the second day of the 8th European Congress of Local Governments

Revitalization of neglected and forgotten places is an important element of spatial planning in today’s cities and allows for the creation of new parts of the urban tissue within the already developed land. It is especially popular in post-industrial areas. It is important, however, that in addition to the aesthetic renewal of a given space, it also fulfills an appropriate social function and serves the residents.

Does this really happen in every case? Is it possible to breathe new life into all spaces? During the 8th European Congress of Local Governments, in a discussion with Bartłomiej Orzeł, Expert, NASK, Poland took part: Richard Blyth, Head of Policy and Practice at Royal Town Planning Institute, Royal Town Planning Institute, United Kingdom, Hubert Julien-Laferriere, President, The French Partnership for Cities and Territories (PFVT), France, Jacopo Ibello, President, Save Industrial Heritage, Italy

The demographic challenges facing us mean that by 2050 the size of real estate built for human use will have double compared to what has been built since the beginning of the world, and this is a huge challenge in the context of climate change. – suggestively started deputy Julien-Laferriere. It is all the more important to focus on revitalization, today one needs to build a “city within a city”. Deputy mentioned that it was the first time in Poland that he encountered the revitalization of industrial buildings for the residential use, among others. He noted, however, that today in Lyon and other French cities, when a revitalization project is carried out, in order to win the bid, developers must take into account in their proposals the aspect of social inclusivity. Examples: 20-30 percent of must be donated to social housing; some cities regulate rental prices.

Richard Blyth, in turn, talked about the urban conditions that revitalization must meet. He talked about the challenges related to spatial planning, the development of unattractive areas with a difficult communication network, where it is necessary to create the entire infrastructure necessary to adapt such areas, and the challenges related to the use of public money and subsidies provided for such investments. He also gave examples of existing solutions and housing estates built in areas between large British cities.

Jacopo Ibello addressed questions about famous Italian “houses for 1 euro”, he also talked about the challenges faced by medium-sized cities, which have a hard time competing with the offer of large cities. He also pointed to the lack of legislative solutions in Italy that are already established in Poland. He noted that local communities often have to find creative solutions to their own problems themselves.

The guests of the debate also raised the topic of the importance of the silver economy, the need to implement programs to build the retirement homes. Ibello noted that Italy, as a country less attractive than other Western countries for the migrant population, is in a more difficult situation in the face of the problems of aging societies.