Age Friendly Cities

The large and growing proportions of older people in shrinking cities present both challenges and opportunities for the (re)development. This chapter explores strategy frameworks, programs and actions which prioritize age friendly strategies as feasible options in a context of urban population decline. Based on the analysis of literature, evaluations and case-studies this chapter puts forward a number of best practices and proposals to create more age friendly cities. These are explored by drawing on a recent review of evidence from the Interreg IVC and Interreg B Central Europe program.

About the Book

Urban shrinkage is rising to the top of the political agenda in Europe as more cities are shrinking in the prolonged economic downturn we encounter. Coupled with unprecedented budgetary austerity and rapidly ageing populations, ‘stagnating’ and ‘shrinking’ cities have emerged as a key challenge for policy and practice for decades to come. Local actors need to find new ways of collaborating across sectors, agencies and disciplines to unlock opportunities for interventions that mitigate the worst effects of urban shrinkage and long-term decline.

Future Directions for the European Shrinking City focuses on policy and planning interventions that can be taken by municipalities and their local stakeholders to tackle stagnation and decline. With case studies from a range of European countries this book proposes ways to tackle shrinkage through governance, policy, planning, social, economic and management interventions. Edited by William J.V. Neill and Hans Schlappa, this book is ideally suited for policy makers and practitioners in urban planning, regeneration, and economic development dealing with pressing spatial and socio-economic issues on a European scale.