Covid-19 & Urban Change: A Guide for Planners & Policy Makers
Hannah David (Chair); Professor Paul Cheshire (LSE); Alexander Jan (Bee Midtown); Steve Quartermain (Former Chief Planner for England);
By the time this event takes place, a full year will have passed since the first national lockdown, which initiated a sudden experiment in home working, and a suspension of normal patterns of commuting, work and home life.
From the outset, a range of commentators have speculated about the long-term impacts of theCovid-19 crisis on the way that we live and work – and, indeed, where we live and work.
There have been suggestions that the crisis will accelerate the decline of the high Street, create a permanent shift towards home working and a corresponding reduction in demand for city centre office space. Some have predicted a mass exodus of the urban population, as they seek more space in the suburbs and countryside.
Yet, the future is by no means certain and research into the spatial ramifications of the Covid-19 crisis is in its infancy. It may take some years before the long-term consequence of the pandemic become known to us.
Nevertheless, those of us at work within the planning sector must still look forward, and plan for the years ahead.
This event brings together three experts with experience in urban economics, urban policy and planning to discuss what may lie ahead for our cities. In a context of uncertainty, they will consider the possible drivers of change and the potential policy interventions that may become necessary over the months and years ahead.
