6. Age-friendly city planning
Cover of Manchester's age-friendly strategy. Source: City of Manchester
See it in action
City of Manchester, UK – Age Friendly Manchester
Older adults and people living with dementia experience their neighbourhoods in ways that differ from other community members. Learning from their experience is important to creating cities that are inclusive for all ages and abilities.
Challenge: The City of Manchester identified that older adults are disproportionately
impacted by inequality and social isolation, with nearly 60% of older adults living in
lower-income neighbourhoods with limited resources and infrastructure.
Solution overview: In 2003, Manchester committed to becoming an age-friendly city, implementing a strategy for building age-inclusive neighbourhoods. Manchester has since become the first city in the United Kingdom to be a WHO-accredited, age-friendly city. The City has a dedicated age-friendly department, which focuses on building age-friendly neighbourhoods, providing age-friendly services, promoting age equality, and integrating older adults in governance and engagement.
One example is the City’s community-based infrastructure building program. Older adults are actively engaged with this program and encouraged to work with their communities to address areas where Manchester could improve its public realm and built environment. The City provides small neighbourhood grants for projects that improve accessibility. Over 5,000 people have participated in this program, and roughly $220,000 has been allocated to community-led projects since the program launch. This initiative builds sense of belonging and purpose for older adults, inviting them to participate in solving the problems they see in their community and create positive change.
Solution overview: In 2003, Manchester committed to becoming an age-friendly city, implementing a strategy for building age-inclusive neighbourhoods. Manchester has since become the first city in the United Kingdom to be a WHO-accredited, age-friendly city. The City has a dedicated age-friendly department, which focuses on building age-friendly neighbourhoods, providing age-friendly services, promoting age equality, and integrating older adults in governance and engagement.
One example is the City’s community-based infrastructure building program. Older adults are actively engaged with this program and encouraged to work with their communities to address areas where Manchester could improve its public realm and built environment. The City provides small neighbourhood grants for projects that improve accessibility. Over 5,000 people have participated in this program, and roughly $220,000 has been allocated to community-led projects since the program launch. This initiative builds sense of belonging and purpose for older adults, inviting them to participate in solving the problems they see in their community and create positive change.
Relevance to the guidelines
Strategy 1.1 Land use designation
Strategy 1.2 Street grids
Strategy 1.3 Building form
Strategy 1.4 Transit routes
Strategy 1.5 Open spaces