Urban policy: estate regeneration

Abstract

This chapter examines the shifting rationales and funding for estate regeneration in Britain with a focus on London. It provides an overview of urban renewal in both its old slum clearance form and new estate regeneration/demolition form. The chapter identifies an early estate regeneration period (1980s-90s) that included substantial public funding. However, from the late 1990s onwards, the private sector was increasingly expected to finance regeneration, while New Labour also emphasised creating mixed-tenure communities. The New Deal for Communities’ programme is discussed within this context. Rationales for comprehensive redevelopment are examined, including the roles played by neighbourhood effects and ‘sink estate’ place myth. The concept of entrepreneurial borough is introduced in relation to London and the entrepreneurial city (Harvey). The penultimate section identifies a key shift between earlier regeneration schemes (e.g. Comprehensive Estates Initiative in Hackney), and contemporary schemes (e.g. Heygate) which are the book’s primary focus. Whereas the former produced mixed-tenure neighbourhoods including limited private housing, 21st century regeneration schemes are estate densification projects which have resulted in distinct mixed-tenure neighbourhoods weighted towards market housing for sale rather than social renting – estate regeneration masquerading as state-led gentrification. The final section examines the financial and health costs of estate demolition.