Low impact development, the saviour of the 21~(st) century city, or a 20~(th) century suburban irrelevance?

摘要

A common perception of low impact development is that they are only applicable in areas of low density development. However the drivers and pressures acting on 21st Century cities may often result in densification of the existing urban areas rather than expansion into the surrounding countryside. Using the City of Bradford in the UK as and example, the paper concludes that many surface water management measures which can be classed as low impact development are appropriate to the needs of the modern city. However, the way in which they are presented needs to change in order to make them appear relevant to those striving to reshape our cities to meet the demands of climate and demographic changes whilst shielding valuable historic urban and rural landscapes from damage.