The 15-minute City Model: Assessment of the Socio-Economic and Environmental Impacts Associated with the Location of Essential Amenities

The 15-minute city is a way of strategically and ecologically planning the amenities and spaces of an urban area. This model based on sustainable urban planning, built on the concept of proximity of amenities, facilitates the commuting and brings an environmental advantage in terms of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from vehicular traffic. The application of this city model becomes critical in areas characterized by settlement dispersion. In fact, there are several socio-economic and environmental impacts linked to a dispersed location of essential amenities in non-compact urban contexts. For example, the economic cost of travelling, the time taken to reach essential amenities which are often decentralized in peripheral districts of cities, the pollution generated by the widespread use of private means of transport, determined by inefficient mass transport systems. This research aims to analyze the socio-economic and environmental impact of context characterized by peripherality, settlement dispersion and lack of essential amenities. The study area focuses on the Italian Municipalities of Terni, Matera, Pisa and Trento where the 15-minute city model has not been pursued in the urban planning process. The work carried out highlights the distinction that exists between the different cities, showing how the provision and location of essential amenities, considered as a fundamental parameter for the study, improves the quality of life.