Measuring Success
- The success of economic regeneration can be assessed using measures of: Income – Poverty.
Employment
- Different areas can then be compared by looking at the variations within each measure. This will help understand which regeneration project has been more successful, allowing for further analysis of why this is the case and how well it would work elsewhere.
- Social progress can be measured by looking at the reductions in inequalities between and within areas.
- Social progress can be measured through scores within the multiple deprivation index and in demographic changes which can result in life expectancy improvements, population growth and reductions in health deprivation.
- Regeneration will be most successful if it also leads to improvements in the living environment as this in turn improves social and economic security.
- Improvements can be monitored through reductions in pollution levels and the number of abandoned and derelict warehouses/land.
Urban Regeneration and Urban Stakeholders
- Plans in 2015 were released about regenerating Belfast to increase the employment and residential population, manage the retail offer, maximise tourism, create a green centre, connect the city and enhance social impact and shared spaces.
- The regeneration of Belfast City uses the following strategies:
- Plans for five Special Action Areas.
- Enhancing city streets and security.
- Furthering regeneration schemes including the North East Quarter.
- Developing a festivals strategy.
- Creating plans for the digital and creative sectors
- Developing city transport systems and creating more parking spaces
- Creating a social impact plan and a cultural plan
- A £18.77 million City Centre Development Fund has been established to begin the project.
- The programme aims on integrating ideas from different key players and keeping stakeholders from across the city at the heart of the development strategies.
- Future success of this plan depends on past decisions and plans being made now.
- The changes taking place can be judged using economic, social, demographic and environmental variables to predict whether regeneration projects will be successful and sustainable.
- Stakeholders can involve local/national governments, local businesses and residents and will have contrasting opinions on the success of schemes.
- Their views will be shaped depending on their lived experience and attachment to the area and whether the identity of the area is similar or changed from how they wanted it.
Rural Regeneration and Rural Stakeholders
- Rural regeneration in Cheshire West and Chester, adopted in 2011, was planned to attract an additional 17000 young people/families/those of working age, meet housing needs, safeguard local services, support sustainable growth, address market failures and reduce the consumption of fossil fuels.
- This was planned to be done by: creating a new structure for rural governance so local opinions are heard, managing and utilising public assets, protecting the natural and historical environment whilst creating asset management and future planning for young people.
Changing Public Perception
- Rebranding attempts to represent areas as being more attractive by improving public perception of them.
- This involves re-imaging places using media coverage, art and events to enhance the image of urban and rural locations. This works to invite investors which add to the wealth of the area.
- For UK deindustrialised cities, rebranding can stress the attraction of places, creating an identity by focusing on their industrial heritage.
- This creates national and international tourists and visitors whilst providing local income and media coverage. For instance, there is the ‘Scotland with Style’ program in Glasgow.
- Rural rebranding strategies in the postproduction countryside are based on farm diversification, specialised products, outdoor pursuits and adventure in both accessible and remote areas.
- This again invites tourism, sites being the Brontë country and the Kielder Fores.