As cities across Europe continue to grow, they absorb land and valuable ecosystems and consume large amounts of energy and materials. Yet substantial resource values are already embedded in existing buildings, infrastructures and urban land that could be reused, adapted or intensified. Circular economy approaches can help ease these pressures if they are actively embedded in how cities plan and regulate urban space through existing urban planning instruments and decisions.

Several challenges complicate this in practice: circular strategies are often siloed in departments disconnected from planning; planning tools were designed for linear 'build–use–demolish' logic rather than reuse or adaptability; spatial requirements for circular activities remain poorly defined; circular uses struggle to compete in land markets; material flows cross governance boundaries that fragment responsibility; and market prices fail to reflect the true costs of linear development, making circular requirements appear economically burdensome to developers.

This implementation guide addresses these challenges through strategic recommendations for local, regional and national governments, illustrated by European case studies.