4A.8B - Partnerships
Local interest groups (Chambers of Commerce, local preservation societies, trade unions) play a key role in decision-making about regeneration; there are often tensions between groups that wish to preserve environments and those that seek change. (London Olympics 2012) (A: differing attitudes may cause conflicts)
Regeneration in the 21st century is about partnerships between the public and private sectors. Often public money from taxes is used as a pump-priming mechanism to 'lever in' private investment. Pump-priming means using money from national and local governments to make an area more attractive to investors by improving derelict sites, transport, power and water supply, so that private companies can choose to invest. In order for partnership for regeneration to work they need to include as many players as possible:
- Chambers of Commerce: these organisations represent business and industry in a local area, and persuade local and national governments to invest in infrastructure, education and skills training.
- Trade unions: their jobs is to represent workers in particular industries over issues like pay and conditions; their support is important to many companies that want good worker-manager relationships.
- Education: schools, further and higher education establishments provide the skilled workers modern business need so they are key partners.
- Local groups: regeneration and development involves change, so local environmental groups, historical preservation societies and even wildlife groups need to be involved so that change does not lead to negative local consequences.
Regeneration plans can lead to conflict between different players. Inevitably, regeneration leads to change:
- in the physical fabric of an area in terms of buildings, street patterns and possibly historic landmark buildings
- in to population of a place, as newcomers move into regenerated areas
These changes should be positive, but they are not always viewed in that way. In the 1970s, the residents of Coin Street resisted an attempts to develop commercial, hotel and retail space in their area.
- In the 1980s, the regeneration of London's Docklands by the London Docklands Development Corportation (a UDC) sparked protests by existing residents who felt the service sector jobs being created, and expensive apartment housing, was doing nothing to reduce poverty in the area.
- Around 25 years later residents in Newham, the site of the London 2012 Olympics, also felt that in some cases their needs were being ignored as the huge regeneration of Olympic Park took place.
- There were protests by residents of Clay Lane Housing Cooperative which was compulsory purchased in 2007 to make way for Olympic site developments.
- Although run-down and deprived 'the east end' community and its culture was lost.
- Compulsory purchase of some existing homes, forcing residents to move.
- Gentrification increased rents in the area, making them unaffordable for some.
- Many Olympic-related jobs were temporary construction jobs.
- Few jobs went to local people, whether temporary or permanent
- The post-games legacy has been one of continuing regeneration