10A Measuring the Success of Regeneration
The success of economic regeneration can be assessed using measures of income, poverty and employment (both relative and absolute changes) both within areas and by comparison to other more successful areas.
Regenerated areas should show signs of improved economic performance and quality of life is regeneration has been successful. A key indicator of success is population change. Demographic growth indicates that areas are popular and people are moving in.
Liverpool is an example - it's population declined from 683,000 in 1961 to 439,000 in 2001. However, the 2011 census showed an increase to 466,000 - the first growth in 50 years. This alone suggests that Liverpool's long period of regeneration since 1980 has finally paid off.
In 2001 the 20-24 year old population of Ouseburn, on the River Tyne quayside in Newcastle was just over 2000. Over the last 20 years it has been regenerated and in 2011 it's population of that age group was over 4,500.
- The working population aged 25-64 increased, suggesting that people are moving into new apartments and houses.
- The 70+ population declined, which could indicate that older residents are being pushed out by regeneration.
- There was a huge increase in the 15-24-year-old population, because much of the recent regeneration has involved new student accomodation, i.e. studentification
- This happens when an area becomes popular with students, and it can lead to dramatic changes in the age profile of an area as student accommodation increases.
- Areas populated with students are not necessarily welcomed by all, due to noise issues, the transient nature of the population and the fact that students tend to be up all night,
- This happens when an area becomes popular with students, and it can lead to dramatic changes in the age profile of an area as student accommodation increases.
Newcastle's quayside regeneration can be assessed in other ways. Using data from the IMD in 2004 and 2015:
- Areas along the quayside have improved, moving out of the 10% most deprived and 10-20% most deprived categories and into the 20-50% range.
- Areas to the east and west remain in the 10% most deprived category.
These date suggest successful regeneration, but also suggest greater inequality between the now regenerated areas and areas close by that have seen no regeneration.
Liverpool has made similar progress. After the city was European Capital of Culture in 2008, 85% of residents felt the city was a better place to live in. Merseyside Development Corporation created 22,000 jobs between 1981 and 1998 and attracted £700,000 of private investment. Between 1998 and 2008 a further 25,000 jobs were created.
However, although Newcastle and Liverpool have changes in the numbers employed and levels of deprivation, relatively they are still worse than other places. Child poverty in Liverpool fell from 34.7% of children in 2006 to 32.5% in 2011, but the England average was 20.1% and in Reading it was 17.8%.