20-minute neighbourhoods
/If you lived in a 20-minute neighbourhood you would be able meet all your day-to-day needs without having to travel more than 20 minutes by foot, bike or public transport.
Other similar terms being used include ‘15-minute cities’ and ‘walkable neighbourhoods’, and it’s a concept that has become popular worldwide, and has been applied in cities such as Melbourne and Paris.
The Scottish Government has stated it will apply this concept to Scotland’s “cities, towns and rural areas so that the places where we live and work are more resilient and sustainable”. This can be seen as part of a broader move in the direction of place-based approaches to planning and a focus on sustainability in the face of climate change. A 20-minute neighbourhood is also seen as promoting equality and inclusion and helping to tackle inequality.
Find out more
For a community development persepctive on 20-minute neighbourhoods, read about Scottish Community Development Centre’s response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on guidance for planners on 20-minute neighbourhoods.
For an accessible introduction, see ‘What is a 20-minute neighbourhood’ by Sustrans.
The Town and Country Planning Association has produced a detailed guide to 20-minute neighbourhoods.
The Scottish Government’s Fourth National Planning Framework: Position Statement sets out its current thinking around planning, including a focus on 20-minute neighbourhoods.
This blog by Nick Write on the Royal Town and Planning Institute website makes links between 20 minute neighbourhoods and Local Place Plans.
‘20 minute neighbourhoods in a Scottish Context’, a project by Climate Xchange investigating what needs to be done to achieve 20-minute neighbourhoods in Scotland.
Click here to view more resources and guides related to place and local planning on Communities Channel Scotland.
