Urban densification - a sustainable urban policy?

Planning policies in many European countries advocate for the Compact City or some sort of compaction process, as a strategy to obtain a more sustainable urban development. It contrasts the car-oriented urban sprawl of many modern cities, creating longer distances between urban functions, poor access to facilities and services, less efficient infrastructure provision, loss of open land, social segregation, etc. A Compact City policy in contrast should by regeneration and densification of the urban area create the opposite, thus contributing to a more sustainable development in its broadest sense, social, economic and environmental. This paper explores the implications of urban densification. Based on a case study of a Copenhagen district, the paper will show the pros and cons of urban densification and the impacts on the urban environment, focussing on the local urban environment. The casestudy will be used to conclude whether densification and compact city policies can lead to a more sustainable urban environment.