Introduction to measuring regeneration success

Regeneration success is assessed using a range of indicators, which are measurable factors showing changes before and after regeneration. These indicators are often the same as those that initially highlighted the need for regeneration.

Indicators fall into three main categories: social, economic, and environmental. When measuring success, it is essential to consider factors like timescales, relative changes, and multiple measures to get a complete picture.

Social indicators of regeneration success

Key social indicators

• Health and life expectancy - Regeneration can enhance physical and mental health by providing new facilities like clinics or safer outdoor spaces for exercise. Better job types might reduce harmful shift work, while improved food access allows for healthier diets, leading to longer life expectancy.
• Demographics - Population growth signals an area's appeal, often due to new jobs or amenities attracting residents. An increase in younger, working-age people suggests stronger economic potential, but a drop in any age group might indicate exclusion, where certain groups feel pushed out.
• Access - Easier movement, especially for those with mobility challenges, marks success. Upgrades like better public transport, wider pavements, pedestrian zones, improved lighting, and cycle tracks boost footfall and safety.
• Education - Higher academic attainment shows young people gaining optimism and skills. Regeneration might enable access to further education, reducing the pressure to enter low-skilled work early to support families.
• Deprivation - The Index of Multiple Deprivation (a tool measuring factors like income, crime, and health) can show overall improvements. Comparing scores before and after reveals reductions in deprivation, with sector-specific data highlighting changes in areas like crime.
• Inequality - Regeneration should narrow gaps in lived experiences. However, if it focuses narrowly, it might worsen inequality, leaving some areas unchanged while others thrive.

Economic indicators of regeneration success

Key economic indicators

• Income - Rising personal incomes indicate success, as they increase spending power and local tax revenue, creating more economic activity.
• Poverty - Although not always the main goal, lower poverty levels — where more people meet basic needs — free up resources for broader services, like community improvements.
• Employment - Higher employment rates, especially in full-time or permanent roles, suggest new opportunities. This can lead to greater disposable income and local spending.

Environmental indicators of regeneration success

Key environmental indicators

• Pollution - Lower air, water, or soil pollution improves health and encourages outdoor activities. It also supports wildlife by renewing habitats.
• Derelict land - Reducing abandoned sites, often through brownfield development (reusing previously developed land), enhances appearance and removes contamination harmful to ecosystems.
• Green space - More or better-quality parks, wetlands, or tree-planting programmes offset environmental damage, benefiting biodiversity and community well-being.

Factors influencing the measurement of regeneration outcomes

Important factors in evaluation

• Timescales - Some changes, like better education levels, take years to appear, while employment shifts might happen quickly.
• Relative and absolute changes - Local changes should be compared to national trends. For instance, income growth in a regenerated area should be assessed against UK-wide averages.
• Areas being compared - Impacts should be examined across sub-areas within a place, or contrasted with undeveloped regions or different regeneration types.
• Multiple measures - A combination of indicators should be used, as economic gains might mask social drawbacks, such as displacement of residents.

Local opinions on regeneration outcomes

Factors affecting local views

• Consultation - Involving residents early fosters positive feelings, but top-down approaches or forced evictions can breed resentment, even if outcomes improve.
• Integration - Projects led by external companies might seem disconnected, making the regenerated area feel like an isolated enclave rather than part of the community.
• Timescale - Sudden changes can feel disruptive, with people judging success based on immediate benefits to daily life rather than long-term gains.
• Jobs - Residents may prefer regeneration that creates roles matching local skills, especially for those from deindustrialised backgrounds. A focus on retail or leisure jobs can marginalise former secondary industry workers.

Case study: Regeneration of Salford Docklands

Salford Docklands, once a derelict industrial port in Greater Manchester, underwent major regeneration starting in the 1980s. It transformed into Salford Quays, a modern residential and leisure hub.

Background and method

The area featured abandoned warehouses and port infrastructure. Redevelopment plans focused on creating residential spaces, cultural venues like the Lowry Theatre and Gallery, and the Imperial War Museum North. A key project was the £550 million Media City, attracting media companies like the BBC and ITV for offices and studios. The area was rebranded to emphasise its new identity.

Results and outcomes

• The landscape shifted from industrial decay to post-modern architecture, with new apartments and facilities boosting visual and economic appeal.
• Many apartments, such as waterfront two-bedroom flats priced from £400,000 in 2020, were unaffordable for locals. Jobs in Media City often went to newcomers, and company relocations created few new positions.
• Iconic elements like the Salford Cranes were removed, leading some to mourn the erasure of industrial history.

Evaluation and local perceptions

While most agree on aesthetic gains, locals question the benefits. The focus on high-end developments excluded many residents, and the loss of heritage sites created a sense of disconnection.