Urban revitalisation and town centre management in Poland: Opportunities and challenges for the 21st century

Urban revitalisation has been key to urban planning and the management of cities in Poland since the rebuilding of the country after World War II. It is only relatively recently, however, that strategic interpretations and practical applications of this concept have embraced its multifaceted nature beyond purely physical regeneration. Similarly, town centre management in Europe has evolved over the last 25 years from a reactive approach to the reinvigoration of urban areas increasingly under threat from global socio-economic trends to a strategic proposition with partnership working, competitiveness and sustainability at the forefront of its agenda. This paper briefly explores the parallels that exist in the historical evolution of place management and urban revitalisation within the Polish context and outlines a practical example of the development of one of Poland's first fledgling town centre management schemes in the country's second largest city, Łódź. Based on a bilingual analysis of current practice and published literature, this paper offers an insight into some of the opportunities and challenges facing the implementation of town centre management schemes in Poland as effective mechanisms for sustainable intervention at local level within the context of this country's ambitious plans for urban revitalisation.