Planning control and the politics of soft densification

Increasing the density of existing urban areas can support urban regeneration and environmental sustainability by limiting urban sprawl and linking housing to transport infrastructure. However, making space for small-scale incremental densification poses challenges in managing the cumulative aesthetic, social and infrastructural impacts of incremental development. This paper uses the concept of soft densification to examine the planning challenges of incremental development of existing urban areas and how they might be addressed through planning policy. Case studies from the UK highlight the struggle to maintain an appropriate balance between meeting housing need and overdevelopment. Proactive policy frameworks are needed to manage an often overlooked but increasingly important dimension of global urban development.