Green space and the compact city: planning issues for a ‘new normal’

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ABSTRACT

The paper traces the emergence of urban public green space as an issue of concern for planning. This is used as a platform to discuss the emergence of the compact city idea and how this conceives the design and use of such spaces. The paper then identifies a series of issues that need to be prioritised in future research for the planning of urban green space in the ‘new normal’ of social distancing consequent on COVID-19. Issues requiring attention and a series of outline examples of potential solutions are grouped beneath four categories: form & features, distribution, connectivity and resilience.

KEYWORDS:

• Green space
• urban density
• planning
• social distancing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. While the health benefits of ‘nature contact’ has become an important topic of research, policy and design in recent years, the primary thrust of the compact city approach to public green space is contoured by a concern for the efficient use of scare land in dense urban environments. Hence, the focus is normally placed on shared spaces for recreation and leisure use. Issues of ‘nature contact’ may be encompassed within this but are not conventionally the central principle guiding the planning of such spaces.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mick Lennon

Mick Lennon researches and teaches at the intersection of planning and environmental policy. He recently completed a two-year project examining the planning and design of green spaces for health and well-being.