The Replanning of the Blitzed City Centre in Britain : A Case Study of Coventry 1940-1945

Abstract

Before the outbreak of the Second World War Britain had suffered the consequences of uncontrolledi ndustrial development - too highly populated built-up areas and indiscriminate sprawl of houses in the suburbs of industrial cities. Those associated with town planning called for comprehensive national planning. The state of city centres was the microcosm of the lack of such planning -inefficiency caused by traffic congestion and chaotic development of buildings of all kinds, and the absence of social amenities such as civic centres and public open spaces. But the local authorities could do very little, because, for one thing, there was no proper legislation dealing with such highly densely developed a re a s .The German air raids on several industrial cities in 1940 were thought to have provided a golden opportunity for the local authorities to set to the task of replanning city centres. The Government promised to make up the necessary legislation, and encouraged the blitzed local authorities to plan boldly and comprehensively. However, the blitzed authorities soon had to face a wave of pressure from Whitehall to subdue boldness in their city centre plans. This study, by exploring the case study of Coventry, the best-known blitzed city in Britain, alms to provide a detailed analysis of city centre replanning during te war, and, by placing it in a wider perspective, tries to bring into relief how the changes in the Government's reconstruction policies - from bold idealism to economic retreat - took place over these years.