Do we want it? Yes, we do. Most of those surveyed by YouGov said they would like to live in a 15-minute city or neighbourhood. However, unless you live in Oxford, Bristol, Sheffield or Canterbury, you would be forgiven for never having heard of one.
The 15-minute city has already proved contentious with urban planners and conspiracy theorists alike, with some believing that “splitting cities into zones to stop pollution” would confine people, and go “directly against the freedom that we aspire to have in the UK.” Some have gone so far as to suggest that people would actually be prevented from leaving their neighbourhood.
We look at what a 15-minute city is, how the concept originated and whether the UK is ready for such a thing.
What is a 15-minute city?
Far from reducing personal freedom, the idea is to create a community where the most desired amenities are available to anyone within a 15-minute walk or cycle ride from where they live. This would mean improved accessibility to education, work, shopping, healthcare and leisure, and reduce car use and create a more environmentally-friendly place to live.
Where might it happen?
The UK is fairly new to the concept of the 15-minute city, but other countries have looked at this for longer.
A ‘5 minutes to everything’ model was adopted in Copenhagen in 2016, while in 2018 Melbourne introduced a pilot 10-minute scheme.
In New Zealand, it is estimated that 61% of people living in Wellington already lived within a 15-minute neighbourhood. The city came top in an evaluation by the University of Canterbury of 500 cities in the US and New Zealand.
Several places in the UK have already pursued the provision of more cycle lanes and public spaces but, at present, Oxford is the closest to implementing the 15-minute city. Oxford City Council’s Local Plan 2040 proposes the introduction of 15-minutes neighbourhoods over the next 20 years, focusing on infrastructure and increasing local mobility.
However, to further fuel conspiracy theories, Oxfordshire County Council has announced the introduction of traffic reducing measures from 2024, similar to Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs), where drivers will be encouraged to use the ring road or public transport.
We know we want it, but which amenities are the most popular?
Of those surveyed, bus stops, post boxes, GP surgeries, pharmacies and banks are the most desired amenities that are not currently available to most people. Less desirable were shopping centres, restaurants and hairdressers.
Is the 15-minute neighbourhood or city achievable in the UK?
A surprising half of those surveyed said that they already lived within a 15-minute walk of many of the amenities surveyed, but there are many who don’t believe it achievable.
In areas where people can describe their community as urban, an average of 61% of those surveyed though it would be “easy to achieve”. However, those in rural areas have taken a more pragmatic approach, with only 14% agreeing.