Parallel Session C 15.20

Dr Charles Goode

University of Birmingham

With the profound and accelerating decline of the High Street as a place for retail traditionally supported by high levels of footfall and chain retailers, there is an emerging trend of urban areas introducing urban greening as a way to try to improve a range of environmental and social factors including increasing dwell time, socialisation and footfall alongside people’s physical and mental wellbeing. This is with a view to supporting city living and more dense housing in urban areas.

This paper, which focuses on the findings from a BBSRC-funded impact project, critically evaluates the economic and environmental impacts of urban greening in a post-industrial landscape (West Bromwich). It examines the emerging implications for theory and practice and develops policy recommendations whilst reflecting on the broader changes in the funding landscape for post-Covid repurposing of urban centres. The paper then works through the implications for city living.

About the presenter

Charles Goode is an Assistant Professor in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Birmingham and is a Geographer and trained planner with research and teaching interests in strategic planning/regional governance, community involvement, housing supply/affordability and planning history. His ESRC-funded doctoral research focused on the Green Belt, England's housing crisis and the planning system and is published in a range of practitioner and academic outlets. Charles' research is now moving into post-Covid cities and the greening of city centres. A particular passion of Charles' is strengthening the links between the academy and planning practice.