Smart growth is an urban
planning and
transportation theory that concentrates growth in compact walkable urban centers to avoid sprawl. It also advocates compact,
transit-oriented,
walkable,
bicycle-friendly land use, including neighborhood schools,
complete streets, and
mixed-use development with a range of housing choices. The term 'smart growth' is particularly used in North America. In Europe and particularly the UK, the terms '
Compact City' or 'urban intensification' have often been used to describe similar concepts, which have influenced government planning policies in the UK, the Netherlands and several other European countries.