Urban regeneration: why we need a law for cities

A new article published by Il Sole 24 Ore and Radiocor discusses one of the most pressing issues in Italian urban policy: the lack of a clear and comprehensive national law on urban regeneration.

The article, titled “Urban regeneration, why we need a law for cities”, analyses how Italy’s town planning framework still relies on legislation dating back to 1942, originally designed for a context of urban expansion rather than for today’s challenges of reuse, land saving, social inclusion, and climate-conscious transformation.

Professor Miriam Allena, lecturer in Administrative and Environmental Law at Bocconi University and Director of the MSc in Transformative Sustainability, contributes to the debate by underlining the limits of the current regulatory landscape. She points out that national legislation has so far addressed mainly building-level recovery and redevelopment, leaving broader urban regeneration policies largely to regional laws and municipal planning. This has produced fragmentation, uncertainty, and frequent judicial intervention.

The article also stresses the growing role of private actors in regeneration projects and the need for transparent, plan-based public decision-making. According to Professor Allena, urban transformation should not be governed primarily through derogations or ad hoc negotiations, but through clear planning choices capable of balancing soil protection, social needs, public interest, and private investment.

Through Professor Allena's contribution, the article reflects the broader work of SUR Lab Bocconi in promoting rigorous research and informed public debate on sustainable urban regeneration. The Lab’s engagement supports a more integrated understanding of cities, not merely as collections of buildings, but as complex social, environmental, legal, and economic systems requiring coherent governance.