Social Exclusion and Urban Sprawl: Is the Rescue of Cities Possible?

This article is about the impact of urban sprawl on social exclusion. Inner cities suffer acute abandonment. Sprawl is encouraged by hidden government subsidies. However, traffic congestion creates opposition to further development. Dispersal and high-speed communication rely on concentrated, dense networks leading to the rescue and revaluation of declining city centres and inner neighbourhoods. Complex urban management problems deter would-be residents and financial incentives still favour suburban growth and green field building. However environmental and development pressures may cause a revaluation of urban and green land leading to more compact cities and greater cohesion.