Megatrends and the West Midlands 2021: Local Living

A provocation examining the idea of local living.

Covid-19 has contracted the psychology of space, restricting people to their homes and making the local increasingly important. Intersecting with increased climate consciousness and a growing obesity crisis, the immediate impact of the pandemic could see a surge in local living habits, with an increasingly localised homeworking economy and a newfound economic spend in neighbourhood centres. These trends are consistent with the 15-minute city concept being explored in cities such as Paris and Melbourne prior to the pandemic. The 15-minute city is a planning principle that stipulates all daily needs should be met within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from the home. This principle redefines how we see our streets, promoting a localised model of urban life that prioritises local businesses and institutions, strong communities and neighbourhood bonds, and mobility choices that are better for our planet and ourselves.