Future trends of UK towns and cities

Strategic foresight programme to guide investments in UK innovation

London, UK - The streets busy with cyclists during the evening rush hour in the heart of the City of London.

Identifying key drivers of change to provide a roadmap for outcome-focused innovation

The challenge

UK towns and cities are evolving in response to technological, economic, and social changes. To remain competitive and resilient, decision-makers need a clearer understanding of future trends and how they can create innovation opportunities.

Innovate UK sought strategic foresight to anticipate these changes and guide investment in urban innovation.

Why it’s important

By identifying key drivers of change, UK place leaders can proactively shape the future rather than react to emerging challenges. A structured foresight approach would provide a roadmap for innovation that supports economic growth, sustainability, and improved quality of life.

Our approach

Urban Foresight delivered a Strategic Foresight Programme that combined:

  • Horizon scanning – Identifying over 300 trends shaping the future of UK towns and cities.
  • Trend clustering – Grouping trends into thematic drivers of change.
  • Scenario planning – Developing four distinct visions for the future of UK urban systems.
  • Backcasting – Mapping actions required to realise these positive futures.

We engaged place stakeholders from across government, local authorities, academia, and industry through a co-creation workshop. This collaboration shaped four future visions:

  • Future of Mobility: “A car is no longer the first choice for most journeys.”
  • Future of Resilience: “Cities are producers as well as consumers.”
  • Future of Regeneration: “Regulation creates thriving business environments.”
  • Future of Housing: “Everyone can afford housing.”

The impact

Our work identified three common enablers of place-based innovation:

  1. Data-driven decision-making – Effective collection, sharing, and use of urban performance data.
  2. Community engagement – Ensuring towns and cities are developed with input from those who live, work, and visit them.
  3. Place-specific solutions – Recognising that each location has unique challenges and opportunities.

By synthesising future trends into recommended actions, our foresight programme provided Innovate UK with a strategic framework to support innovation and create better places for future generations.

How Urban Foresight can help you

Urban Foresight’s expertise in strategic foresight, scenario planning, and stakeholder engagement, can help organisations navigate future uncertainties and shape innovative urban policies. Contact us at hello@urbanforesight.com to speak to one of our team.