Manchester researchers are part of a network of European cities collaborating on strategies to support the aging population in cities worldwide.

Older people are benefiting from the planning community's attention to building an age-friendly city in Manchester where one-third of the population will be over the age of 50 by the year 2040. "From designating the Old Moat neighbourhood, a blueprint for urban planning for seniors, to creating an age-friendly design guide for the corporate-development sector, to appointing cultural champions tasked with engaging older people in Manchester’s vibrant arts scene, the region has been a fulcrum of activity," reports Megan Tatum.
The Greater Manchester Ageing Hub team was recently shortlisted for a £40 million U.K. Research and Innovation grant to continue their work. The team is in contact with cities worldwide to learn from successes and compile a collaborative report on projects relating to the aging population across a network of European countries.
According to Tatum, "arguably nowhere has provided quite the insight into how age-friendly cities in the UK might shape up as the high-rise-packed metropolises of Asia," where cities will be home to 60% of the aging population by the year 2030. Asia-Pacific cities have risen to the challenge to provide better living conditions for older people with a number of both grassroots and government-funded projects aiming to increase access to healthcare and improve the quality of living conditions for older people.
The chair and founding director of the Tsao Foundation, Mary-Ann Tsao, says that "the most important thing that needs to change is that awareness and understanding that older people are a part of our community and they’re just as valuable."
FULL STORY: Manchester follows Asia’s lead in designing age-friendly cities

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.

In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City
If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.

The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)