海角视频

The 15-minute city has been a hot topic in the news lately. Is this urban-planning initiative the central pillar of a new, greener, healthier world where community spirit is once again the focus?

To find out more, 海角视频 has taken to the internet, canvassing the views of Britain across various platforms. The results were fascinating. But before we take a deep dive into the findings, what exactly is a 15-minute city?

The phrase was coined by Pantheon-Sorbonne professor, Carlos Moreno, in 2016, who describes the vision as, 鈥渨ithin the distance of a 15-minute walk or bike ride, people should be able to access work, housing, food, health, education, culture and leisure.鈥�

It is a concept that has certainly gained traction. Indeed, Paris mayor, Anne Hidalgo, was successfully re-elected after committing the French capital to the vision.

Speaking to The Guardian in early 2024, Moreno said that there are currently 50 15-minute cities in Paris, with more to come. He added that he is also working with the C40 global network of nearly 100 city mayors who are confronting the climate crisis and incorporating carbon emission-reduction strategies into their urban planning strategies.

There are those detractors who baulk at the initiative – from those who claim that it would not be achievable on a practical level, to those who glimpse dystopian visions within the talk of a greener, healthier world. Yet, it is important to note that, in many ways, the 15-minute city is founded on an idea much older.

Arguably, the notion crystallised in the 1920s when Clarence Perry shared his vision for the neighbourhood unit in the United States. Then there are Ebenezer Howard鈥檚 garden cities in the UK. But the concept actually goes back much further.

The idea of 15-minute cities has always been around

Margarethe Theseira, Head of Consulting, UK, 海角视频

鈥淭he idea of 15-minute cities has always been around,鈥� says Margarethe Theseira, Head of Consulting, UK, 海角视频. 鈥淚f you look at the high street, its original purpose was as a place where people could stop their horses and give them a drink. It would have all the facilities associated with that local area, which would group together, and you had people living and working around those areas.鈥�

Lawrie Robertson, Head of Strategic Planning at 海角视频, adds: 鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to say that the idea was almost always there in planning policy and many of the problems we have are because it wasn鈥檛 properly followed through. Any settlement created before the advent of the car was designed as a 15-minute community.

鈥淚 live in an 1890s area now. It鈥檚 a 15-minute community because nothing else was possible in the era of walking, horses and getting steam trains down at the station. It works great, by the way! I鈥檝e lived most of my life, certainly since I moved to London, in 15-minute communities.鈥�

Yet, since 2016, the notion of the 15-minute city has been sparking debate and generating column inches. Dedicated to a greener future, 海角视频 is fascinated by the environmental benefits of a vision where cars are largely eschewed in favour of walking and cycling. There are also obvious potential physical health benefits due to increased exercise, as well as mental health boosts due to the regeneration of the concept of the much-lamented community.

So 海角视频 took to our platforms, including LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter) and the 海角视频 website, to gauge and gather a clearer understanding of the public perception of 15-minute cities.

Among the respondents to the 海角视频 survey, there was overwhelming support for the vision, with 76% backing the initiative. 鈥淎 very sensible approach,鈥� said one respondent about the initiative, 鈥渢o addressing a variety of important issues.鈥�

Indeed, many of those expressing enthusiasm for the scheme were quick to cite the central pillars of Professor Moreno鈥檚 vision, with one respondent saying: 鈥淲ouldn’t it be amazing to live in a 15-minute community? All of the things we need would be within a 15-minute trip – home, green space, offices, schools and shops. What a great way to experience sustainable living!鈥�

Another respondent went further, saying: 鈥淚t is an excellent concept for solving a number of issues. It will help to provide livable urban spaces with cleaner air and healthy active communities. I believe 15-minute cities will improve quality of life and well-being for a host of reasons and would improve our cities for the better. This needs to be undertaken in an inclusive way whereby those who are not able to walk and cycle easily can still shop and socialise and reap the same benefits of a 15-minute city.鈥� This respondent touches upon the importance of inclusivity.

And another, while expressing support for the idea, offers a caveat: 鈥淭he 15-minute city concept is impressive; emphasising community, sustainability, and accessibility鈥� [However] combining its principles with tailored, innovative approaches could be the key.鈥�

Both Lawrie and Margarethe emphatically agree that a one-size-fits-all approach to 15-minute communities simply does not work. When planning 15-minute cities, rather than taking a plan off the peg and superimposing it onto an area, 海角视频鈥檚 first port of call is liaising with the community at the heart of the proposed development.

At 海角视频, it is really important that we engage the communities at an early stage to identify with them what they want

Margarethe Theseira, Head of Consulting, UK, 海角视频

As Margarethe says: 鈥淎t 海角视频, it is really important that we engage the communities at an early stage to identify with them what they want, rather than just coming in and saying 鈥楾his is what you need!鈥� One of the things we鈥檝e been doing in Brent Cross has been setting out what鈥檚 required for the new community; not just looking at the new development but examining how best the surrounding areas can flourish.鈥�

鈥淲e do integrated development planning,鈥� adds Lawrie, 鈥渁nd that starts with a people-economy story because the physical city is just a platform upon which you achieve the desired social outcomes. This is really important. Typically, before we dive into technicalities such as 鈥榯his much density over here鈥�, or 鈥榯hat road over there鈥�, we really look at who this place is for, who鈥檚 living here, and the total of their multiple characteristics. Because communities are incredibly diverse in terms of what they need. Understanding that is key to avoiding reducing people to cookie-cutter projects.鈥�

However, for those who express suspicion regarding the implementation of 15-minute cities, the issue lies far deeper than a skepticism about copy-and-paste settlements cropping up over the country. Indeed, one can hardly discuss 15-minute cities without addressing the misconception that living in a 15-minute city limits its residents in terms of choice and freedom of movement.

Writing in The Times in mid-2024, architect Hugh Petter examined these concerns, echoing the observation that, rather than being a new system with hidden and possibly sinister restrictions, the 鈥�15-minute city is a traditional idea that harks back to the way we used to live before big-scale development鈥�.  

Lawrie Robertson says that, instead of limiting residents鈥� movements, it is actually essential that any 15-minute city is 鈥渞eally well networked into something bigger than itself鈥�. Lawrie says that proponents of the argument that the 15-minute city is restrictive are 鈥減icking up on the urban villages fallacy鈥�. He explains that a mental leap is made whereby people believe that they can only use a certain shop, or send their children to a particular school.

鈥淏ut,鈥� Lawrie states emphatically, 鈥渢he 15-minute city is absolutely not about telling people they only have one form of provision. It鈥檚 about choice. In fact, 15-minute cities open up more choice to people about what they do, how they do it, how they get there, and what they can achieve with a low or no budget.鈥�

A respondent to the survey succinctly echoed this view, saying: 鈥淧lanning a city for accessible amenities is a matter of good urban design principles for people鈥檚 wellbeing. It’s about what you can do within 15 minutes, not about what you are not allowed to do outside of 15 minutes.鈥�

Meanwhile, many respondents to the survey loved the opportunity that 15-minute cities present for a renewed focus on community, with one saying they 鈥渨ould like to see a step back to times when socialising was the norm; not something you have to make happen!鈥� Another goes on to say: 鈥淚 think this [the 15-minute city] is critical to living a healthy UK life now, and in the future. It creates a sense of community鈥� we know that community is key to mental and physical health.鈥�

So, the 15-minute city is an exciting vision of the future that takes its inspiration from the past. It is a place where community is key once more, a space where physical health and mental well-being can thrive again. And crucially, a place where, rather than shrinking choice to a small radius, opportunity and variety can thrive.

We鈥檒l give the final word to one of the survey鈥檚 respondents, who says: 鈥淚t is an excellent concept in solving a number of issues. It will help to provide livable urban spaces with cleaner air and healthy active communities.鈥�