Single regeneration budget geography

This paper explores the approaches to community participation in the regeneration of social housing neighbourhoods since —when the New Labour won the general elections—until today.

Within this period, it identifies two models: the government-led regeneration scheme New Deal for Communities implemented by the New Labour Government, which provided funding for intervening in deprived areas and which included representatives of the community in the decision-making board; and the Big Society approach implemented by the Coalition Government in the single regeneration budget geography of austerity, which advocates for a state-enabling approach and has changed the planning system to involve communities in decision-making.

The paper explores how these two models have addressed the participation of residents in social housing regeneration.

For doing so, it looks at the policy context and case studies in these two periods. The paper concludes that community participation needs easier processes, which do not require such a strong effort from community groups.

It also concludes that both funding and support is needed to promote community engagement in regeneration processes, which can, first, serve as an incentive to be more actively involved in the regeneration of their neighbourhood, and second, do not rely on private investment for the improvement of council estates.