Regenerating Places

Regeneration is a reaction to economic and social changes. Local, national, and global processes, such as the movement of people, capital, information, and resources, drive it. Some places can become economically wealthy because of the abundance of these factors, whilst other places are marginalised. Regeneration programmes take into account these economic inequalities.

A place is an area or location with specific physical characteristics depending on where it is on the rural-urban continuum. The continuum ranges from urban places modified by densely populated areas to rural landscapes which are moulded through farming, forestry, and mining. These places are also shaped by internal connections such as between people, employment, and housing and external connections like government policies and globalisation. The linkages built contribute to the characteristics of the place. This also connects the meaning of a place to individuals and groups of people, which in turn shapes the way people perceive, engage, and form attachments to certain places.

Through this article, we will touch upon the need for regeneration in certain places and the effectiveness of policies created to improve the quality of life for local people.

What are the types of economies?

Economic activity can be classified into sectors and types of employment. Each sector has a different value to a government, produces products or services, and presents employees with various opportunities and risks. There are different economic activities according to variations in social factors such as health, life expectancy, and education levels that determine a person's ability to work.

There are four types of economic sectors:

• Primary (agriculture base). This sector usually includes the collection of raw materials or the production of essential goods. It tends to be low-paid manual work.
• Secondary (manufacturing base). This sector is the processing of raw materials, commonly for commercial goods and machinery.
• Tertiary (service base). This sector covers everything from education and selling products to managing businesses.
• Quaternary (information base). This sector is relatively new. It includes all technology-based employment such as high-tech scientific research, IT, and computer programming.

There are various types of employment, for example:

• Part-time/ full time
• Temporary/ permanent
• Employed/self-employed

What is the function of places?

There are different functions of a location which can influence employment opportunities, businesses, industry, and the built environment. When places develop, functional and demographic characteristics change. These functions include:

• Administrative: Places where government officials make decisions on how to organise the infrastructure and economic activity of surrounding areas.
• Commercial: These areas are locations of strong business influence. TNCs may have bases here as well as small to large-scale businesses.
• Retail: This is the main source of income for the local population. For example, markets, shopping centres, and independent shops.
• Industrial: An area where the industry is predominant and affects its reputation. For example, Sheffield's steel industry during the Industrial Revolution.

Fig. 1 - A monument in Sheffield dedicated to the women who worked as metal workers during the two world wars.

Lived experiences and attachment

The lived experience involves the personal history of living in a certain place. It varies across persons and can impact people's engagement with a place. This variation in the level of community engagement can be measured through local and national election attendance, the number of community activities and the number of developed and supported local community groups. Deprived areas have weaker and poorly integrated communities which can be managed by creating social groups and encouraging members to join.

Attachment is the bond between an individual and a community or a place. Factors such as ethnicity and shared culture, gender, stage of life, length of residence, or memories can affect this relationship.

What is the definition of regeneration?

Regeneration is the long-term upgrading and redevelopment of existing places for economic and social change. Its objective is to create a balance and eradicate social and economic inequalities. This can be done through effective strategies executed by the government and NGOs. When an area is regenerated, business opportunities arise. This can improve social facilities and the overall quality of life and well-being.

Urban and rural regeneration strategies include:

• Retail-led plans: They create business and job opportunities.
• Tourism: It brings money into the area and provides a flow of culture and positive media attention.
• Leisure and sport: They promote community integration and social well-being.

The economic impacts of regeneration

The economic impact is one of the driving factors for regeneration. This can be seen on a larger scale when a government utilises migration to help with growth and investment. On a smaller scale, local governments also strive to create economic growth through regeneration. However, this can conflict with local interest groups as seen with the regeneration of East London for the London Olympics. Lastly, the success of regeneration is measured with economic factors such as income, poverty, and employment.

Migration and capital

In the UK, the government makes decisions about international migration, as it can have a significant impact on the potential for growth and investment. The net migration to the UK was around 270,000 people in 2019.¹ Net migration is calculated by subtracting the number of immigrants from the emigrants.

• Some positive economic effects of migrants are economic growth and diversity. Migrants can also help fill skill shortages works, such as doctors or nurses for the NHS and labourers in construction and farming. Many migrants are students who may stay after their studies to then go on to pay tax revenues.
• The negative economic effects of migrants can be that they put pressure on local services such as schools, housing, and hospitals.

Local government policies

Local governments aim to make areas attractive for inward investment by creating a sympathetic business environment. Control of building and planning and local interest groups are key tools for them.

Measuring the success of regeneration

The success of regeneration is assessed with the following factors:

• Income
• Poverty
• Employment

Social progress is also measured by looking at the reduction in inequalities between and within areas. Some indicators of the reduction of inequalities are life expectancy improvements, population growth, and reductions in health deprivation.

Regeneration is most successful when it leads to improvements in the living environment, which in turn leads to improved social and economic security. These improvements can be monitored through reductions in pollution levels and the number of abandoned and derelict warehouses and land.

Economic regeneration example

• Local governments build new roads and transport infrastructure to make certain places attractive for businesses and workers. For example, the Metrolink in Manchester was expanded to the airport, which could lead to the area being more attractive.
• Local interest groups such as the Chamber of Commerce, local preservation societies, and trade unions support a range of interests and perspectives. However, there are conflicts between groups as interests differ. Some would prefer to preserve urban landscapes, whilst others seek to change them. For example, the London Olympics were criticized as regeneration in East London made it too expensive for locals to afford to house. Some local interest groups like Focus E15 and Boleyn 100 launched campaigns against the regeneration projects.