TY - JOUR
T1 - Changing Shape of Sustainable Urban Form with Technological Progress
AU - Jones, Colin
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2025/1/20
Y1 - 2025/1/20
N2 - Through history urban form has been dependent on transport and industrial technologies. Policy makers in Western economies have taken a view that a sustainable urban form is high density and compact. The basic hypothesis of the paper is that technological progress has undermined this argument, and enhanced the case for decentralised settlements. It considers this through the experience of the UK and the rise of online sales. The dramatic rise in flexible work patterns has also opened a new vista on urban sustainability. In addition, the prospect of electric motor removes the main argument for compact urban forms.
AB - Through history urban form has been dependent on transport and industrial technologies. Policy makers in Western economies have taken a view that a sustainable urban form is high density and compact. The basic hypothesis of the paper is that technological progress has undermined this argument, and enhanced the case for decentralised settlements. It considers this through the experience of the UK and the rise of online sales. The dramatic rise in flexible work patterns has also opened a new vista on urban sustainability. In addition, the prospect of electric motor removes the main argument for compact urban forms.
KW - sustainable urban form
KW - compact city
KW - technological progress
KW - retailing
KW - flexible work patterns
KW - electric cars
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85215420358&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/02697459.2025.2452755
DO - 10.1080/02697459.2025.2452755
M3 - Article
SN - 0269-7459
SP - 1
EP - 19
JO - Planning Practice and Research
JF - Planning Practice and Research
ER -