A study of the strategies used in the regeneration of an urban place ( Salford Quays) and the contested nature of these decisions within local communities. (10) (A: Attitudes will include NIMBYism)
The changes that have taken place as a consequence of national and local strategies can be judged using a range of economic, social, demographic and environmental variables in an urban area. (F: future success depends on past decisions)
Different stakeholders (local and national governments, local businesses and residents) will assess success using contrasting criteria; their views will depend on the meaning and lived experiences of an urban place and the impact of change on both the reality and the image of that place.
A key question about urban and rural regeneration is who has it benefitted? Different stakeholder have very different views of this because they will use very different criteria to judge success. Stakeholders are any groups or individuals involved in, or interested in, regeneration. They range from residents, environmentalists and businesses to local councils and planners.
Salford Quays in Greater Manchester: once a thriving industrial port, by the 1980s the place was derelict and abandoned.
- Salford Quays Development Plan - 1985-95
- about 90 hecatares of former industrial land were developed by Salford City Council and private investors
- Landmark buildings
- 2000: the Lowry theatre and gallery opened
- 2001: the Imperial War Museum north opened
- MediaCity UK 2007-2011
- Developed by the property company Peel Holdings and housing the BBC and ITV Granada among other media businesses
Salford Docklands have been transformed, but for whom?
In 2016 apartments in NV Buildings, a development built in 2004 were on sale for up to £825.000 - hardly for local people. Other aspects of Salford's regeneration can also be questioned:
- In one recent Salford Quays apartment development, called the Dock Office, 50% were sold to local people but 25% to Chinese investor and 25% to UK residents living overseas
- In 2012 it was reported that only 24 of the 680 new jobs at the BBC in Salford had gone to local people.
- In 2013 local historians and local people were upset when two iconic industrial quayside cranes were demolished - one of the last icons of Salford's past importance as an inland port.
- 'Salford Quays' as the area is now called, is actually a made-up name - the historical name is Salford Docklands - but this sounded too industrial when regeneration began in the 1980s.
It is possible to see Salford Quays from many different viewpoints because different stakeholders have different desired outcomes from regeneration:
- Local council
- Wants: External image is important to attract investment, so landmark buildings and interesting architecture are important, but so are reduced deprivation levels
- Measured by: job creation numbers, areas of vacant/derelict land brought back into use, IMD data trends
- Measured by: job creation numbers, areas of vacant/derelict land brought back into use, IMD data trends
- Wants: External image is important to attract investment, so landmark buildings and interesting architecture are important, but so are reduced deprivation levels
- Existing residents
- Better housing, community facilities and job opportunities plus an improved environment.
- Hard-to-measure factors such as 'community spirit' may be important.
- rising incomes, improved health and life expectancy, increased access to services
- rising incomes, improved health and life expectancy, increased access to services
- Better housing, community facilities and job opportunities plus an improved environment.
- Property developers
- Motivated by profit, so will maximise sales values and rental values.
- Image is important to draw sales.
- Profit versus investment ratios
- number of investors
- increase in land value
- Local businesses
- Increases local population, especially of wealthier residents to boost trade and profits
- rising population, especially the young
- hiring rates of new employees
- Increases local population, especially of wealthier residents to boost trade and profits
- National government
- regeneration that fits in with national priorities such as the northern powerhouse (a policy to increase the economic power and significance of northern cities, especially greater manchester) plus reduced dependency on benefits
- reduced out-migration
- increases in regional output/GVA
- regeneration that fits in with national priorities such as the northern powerhouse (a policy to increase the economic power and significance of northern cities, especially greater manchester) plus reduced dependency on benefits
When Regeneration is not Successful
Doncaster's Earth Centre
- Opened in 1999
- Built on the 160-hectare former coal mine site of Cadeby Main Colliery near Denaby
- The derelict land was reclaimed and an attraction focused on sustainable lifestyles as part of a 'green theme park' was built with a grant of £42 million from the Millennium Commission, with National Lottery money
- It closed in 2004 due to low visitor numbers
- Around 75 employees lost their jobs because it only attracted 37,000 of the 150,000 visitors per year needed to make it viable
- Reasons for the failure:
- The location was not very accessible, and the area is not very well known for tourism
- Local people's lived experience of the area was coal mining and its heritage, not ecological issues
- lived experience refers to people's feelings about a place, what is important to them and what a place means to them. This is strongly related to a place's traditions, its community spirit and history
- lived experience refers to people's feelings about a place, what is important to them and what a place means to them. This is strongly related to a place's traditions, its community spirit and history
- The reality of South Yorkshire is of an industrial and agricultural place, not an environmental or ecological one.
- Interpretive centres tend to lack to attractions (rides, etc.) that many families want.
- The location was not very accessible, and the area is not very well known for tourism