Fixed in the City

Abstract

Repair is a critical element of the circular society, enabling extended product lifespans and reducing material waste. In the context of the 'Directive on repair of goods', this chapter investigates the spatial facilitation of repairing consumer goods in two case studies - London Southwark and Amsterdam Noord. What types of repair spaces are there, how spatially accessible are they for residents and what policies support them?

Findings show that repair remains concentrated in transitional industrial buildings, plots and areas, often under threat from redevelopment. Amsterdam offers more explicit policy support for circular uses, while London lacks clear spatial planning strategies for repair. Cities can support circular transitions by recognising repair as essential urban infrastructure and embedding it more directly into spatial planning and circular-economy policies. This requires protecting affordable, adaptable spaces for repair activities and integrating repair into community centres, libraries, and regeneration projects. Encouraging co-location and shared spaces can improve affordability and accessibility, particularly for community-led and informal repair practices. Expanding policy definitions of repair to reflect everyday forms of maintenance and reuse would further strengthen repair cultures and help make circularity part of daily urban life.