Executive summary

This document presents key findings from a literature review which explored the impact of COVID-19 on city centres, and implications for city centre planning and design.

With many governments implementing restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19, the negative impact on city centres globally has been significant. This has included a drop in visits to hospitality venues and retail outlets, a loss of tourist visitors, and the relocation of inner-city workers to home offices. As a result, it is claimed that city centres will need to evolve to become urban destinations that offer more than just office space (e.g. entertainment and cultural centres). The ‘15-minute city’ receives some attention in the literature as a potential future development.

Given the loss of commuter footfall and a shift to online shopping it is predicted that there will be less need for commercial space in city centres. Stores may reduce in size and there will be a growth in localism, with people shopping and engaging in hospitality outside city centres. With new commercial tenants attracted to city centres, the current retail landscape may change.

A key impact of the pandemic has been a shift to working from home during lockdowns. A hybrid model is expected to continue, comprising a mix of remote and office-based working. Consequently, city centre offices will require less desks, with social and community spaces, private meeting rooms and learning areas needed to facilitate collaborative working and learning. Declining demand for commercial spaces may lead to the repurposing of offices for other uses (e.g. residential conversion).

Mobility restrictions, the uptake of remote working, and concerns about virus transmission, have led to a significant decrease in public transport use. Future trends regarding mobility and transport are concerned with reducing contagion risk factors (e.g. via strategies to limit congestion) and promotion of sustainable transport options such as cycling and walking.

Open spaces in city centres have been adapted during the pandemic (e.g. streets closed off in some settings). These may become permanent features, alongside a growth in entertainment-focussed streetscapes. Green spaces have provided a range of health benefits during the pandemic, and it is expected that the value of these will grow. Strategies to regulate the number of users in open and green spaces may be required in the future.

The pandemic has provided an opportunity to test technology-related solutions. In planning for future cities, the importance of high internet connectivity, infrastructure development, and strategies which strengthen access to technology for disadvantaged residents have been highlighted.

The demographic of city centre residents may change, given that some people will move further out of the city due to changes in working patterns or a desire to live in a less densely populated area. With more affordable housing on offer, others may be drawn to a more urbanised environment. Vulnerable or minority groups have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, with a need to overcome these inequities identified as a key priority for cities as they recover from COVID-19.

There is widespread evidence that some of the responses to the pandemic have increased the sustainability of cities and resulted in a range of environmental benefits. This provides an opportunity for city planners to further tackle climate change via investment in energy-efficient buildings and transport, the promotion of micro-mobility and active transport options, and more parks and green spaces. Other positive impacts include successful examples of social innovation and collaboration, and the development of stronger social connections between residents. The pandemic has been described as a catalyst for change with regard to the design of city centres and seen to present a unique opportunity to reimagine these areas.