It’s time to get excited for the future of our cities

COMMENT The pandemic has given us a chance to take stock of what matters most to us and provided perspective on the way many of us had been living our lives in the pre-Covid world. The same is true for our cities, towns and metropolitan areas, which have had to pause for reflection while footfall and visitor numbers have dwindled. Manchester is no exception and, as we move out of yet another lockdown, the city will hope to capitalise on good news stories such as Enterprise City, a development that Shoosmiths has been heavily involved with that was always going to provide something fresh and new, not only to Manchester’s skyline but also to the city’s wider offer to investors, businesses and residents. That’s not the end of this tale though. Our cities are going to need to adapt to the post-lockdown era quickly if they are going to continue to attract all of the above. The results of a recent BBC study found that almost one-third of workers anticipated working from home more and doing their shopping locally, while a quarter of commuters said they will do less travelling than before. Interestingly, almost half of those surveyed said they expected to walk more than before. So what does this mean for the future of cities such as Manchester? A stronger focus on the creation and strengthening of communities will be important if the trends that have developed over the past 12 months continue and cities are to remain appealing places to put down roots. Provision of green spaces and different accommodation types and models are going to be of paramount importance to attracting a range of occupiers: the city centre experience will not just be about high-rise living where gyms are the primary source of exercise space. Cities such as Manchester will need to provide genuine options and alternatives to residents and this will need to be delivered through not only new development but also via regeneration of existing areas, particularly where an area is seen as not functioning effectively from a placemaking perspective. Changes to permitted development rights have enabled some building upwards and the fast-track conversion of existing brownfield buildings but, given limited control over the design of developments delivered using these powers, can local authorities be certain people will want to live in these locations? The bigger draw, and the one that local authorities will have greater control over, will be the holistic offer that the city provides to cover the transport infrastructure, leisure pursuits and cultural venues available for use by residents and businesses. Manchester will need to make a decision on the future of cars in the city centre given other cities are already talking of imposing their own congestion charges and pushing for 15-minute neighbourhoods. Regeneration schemes have always been promoted and underpinned by the long-term efforts of local authorities. Traditionally, these bodies have had access to the powers of compulsory purchase necessary to assemble land and deliver a scheme that will provide benefit to a wider area. As the mayoral elections fast approach, is there a case to extend compulsory purchase powers to the metro mayors to allow them to shape and deliver their visions for the future of their areas? Those mayors and other key decision-makers promoting regeneration schemes will need to find innovative approaches to delivery and viability given retail-led regeneration schemes would appear to be a thing of the past. Gone are the days of the traditional retail anchor tenant. Could regeneration schemes of the future be residential or even culture led? There is, of course, a role for the private sector in all of this, particularly following the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s recent announcement of the Right to Regenerate. Through the right, individuals, businesses and organisations can identify, purchase and redevelop underused or empty land owned by public bodies. The consultation on the right, which is a proposed reform of the existing Right to Contest, closed in mid-March. It will be interesting to see what the take-up is when the real issue, particularly for metropolitan areas, has been the availability of land in general and not simply a lack of capacity to develop brownfield land stock within its ownership. I think it is fair to say that it’s going to be an exciting few years as we emerge from lockdown with plenty of new ideas, as well as some new tools available, to put them into practice. Let’s get excited about the future of our cities again. David Mathias is planning partner at Shoosmiths