CASE STUDY - URBAN REBRANDING/PLACE IDENTITY
- TITANIC QUARTER:
- Belfast was once famous for its shipbuilding and particularly the construction of the Titanic at the Harland and Wolff shipyards at the neck of the River Lagan and Belfast Lough.
- The Titanic Quarter in Belfast, named after the city’s most famous product, has become one of Europe’s largest waterfront developments.
- Shaped around the marina, it comprises historic maritime landmarks, including the huge yellow lifting cranes that are an iconic symbol of Belfast’s industrial heritage, luxury shops, postmodern workspace architecture and a university campus.
- Belfast harbour continues to operate as a private company providing the logistical framework for successful trade.
- Right at the head of the old slipway, where the Titanic was built is the ‘Titanic Belfast’ visitors centre.
- The spectacular architecture is shaped like the bow of a ship and the materials reflect water and ice crystals.
- The old White Star Line logo has been incorporated into the design.
- The centre welcomed a million visitors in its first year of opening and 70% of those were from outside of Northern Ireland.
- As well as this, it added £105 million to the economy and created 893 additional jobs.
Rural Rebranding:
- Rural areas, and particularly the agricultural economy, have changed considerably since the 1990’s.
- With concern over inflated production and the environmental impact of intensification, there has been a shift in focus towards wider rural development, including support for ecosystem services and preservation of cultural landscapes.
- These changes to the rural economy are an example of diversification, described by some as a shift towards post - production rural economy
CASE STUDY - RURAL REBRANDING/DIVERSIFICATION
- BRONTE COUNTRY:
- ‘Bronte Country’ is the name given to a region in the West Yorkshire and East Lancashire Pennines.
- Many visitors come here every year to experience the bleakness and desolation that inspired the books by the Bronte sisters who lived in Halworth, such as Wuthering Heights.
- The Fair Trade Way links Fairtrade villages and towns in the Bradford area, taking visitors through the countryside and historical sites that appear in the sisters’ books.
- Alongside the literacy and cultural associations, there are many other tourist attractions in the area;
- The Keighley Bus Museum and the Valley Railway
- The Pennine Bridleway and outdoor activities such as Horse Riding or Mountain biking
- The industrial village of Saltaire which is a UNESCO site
- Some farms have taken advantage of EU grants and subsidies to diversify their use of land and create specialist products.
- For example, Skipbridge Farm is now a successful wedding venue, offering creative and bespoke weddings incorporating its small animal holdings, a bed and breakfast, cottages and ‘glamping’ tents.
Measuring the success of regeneration - Economic:
- Income deprivation
- Employment deprivation - % 0f working age people who are unemployed
- Poverty
Income Deprivation:
Indicator: Median Household Income:
Measurement: Analyzing the median household income within the regenerated area.
Rationale: A rise in median income suggests an improvement in overall economic well-being for residents.
Indicator: Income Distribution:
Measurement: Examining the distribution of income across different income groups.
Rationale: A more equitable income distribution may indicate that economic regeneration is benefiting a broader segment of the population.
Employment Deprivation:
Indicator: Unemployment Rate:
Measurement: Calculating the percentage of working-age people who are unemployed.
Rationale: A decrease in the unemployment rate signals improved job opportunities and economic activity.
Indicator: Job Creation:
Measurement: Assessing the net change in the number of jobs created.
Rationale: Positive job creation indicates economic growth and increased employment opportunities.
. Poverty:
Indicator: Poverty Rate:
Measurement: Determining the percentage of the population living below the poverty line.
Rationale: A reduction in the poverty rate signifies an improvement in the economic well-being of residents.
Indicator: Child Poverty Rate:
Measurement: Examining the percentage of children living in poverty.
Rationale: A decrease in child poverty rates indicates positive impacts on families and future generations.
Measuring the success of regeneration case study
The Gorbals in South Glasgow: Closing the economic gap?
- By the 1950s the original tenements built for Victorian industrial workers had a reputation for poverty, overcrowding and poor public amenities, with associated gang culture and violence.
- A major redevelopment programme replaced the tenements with high-rise, concrete tower blocks, such as the Hutcheson Estate.
- Unfortunately these were poorly constructed and the design also fostered crime which, combined with poor management, led to alternative strategies such as the Crown Street regeneration project of the 1990s.
- The attractive varied designs, spacious flats and areas with employment spaces resulted in not just ‘closing the gap’ but exceeding Glasgow’s average economic growth.
- Unemployment fell by 31 per cent between 2004 and 2012, while the percentage of ‘income deprived’ people, including those on welfare benefits, fell by 35 per cent.
- Meanwhile Glasgow ‘only’ had an average drop in unemployment of 16 per cent and a 21 per cent drop in income deprived citizens.
Measuring the success of regeneration case study
A hotspot of in-migration and poverty:
Newham, London
- This is an example of a continuing cycle of poverty.
- Once people better themselves, they move out, but are replaced by another set of poor people.
- In 2014, 36 per cent of residents in Newham had no recognised qualifications, double the city average; 50 per cent earned less than the London Living Wage and 20 per cent were illegal workers on less than the minimum wage.
- Meanwhile, parts of the borough near the 2012 Olympic site, for example Westfield, saw the biggest price rises in the country in 2015.
- Newham Borough Council promotes its place abroad as an ‘Arc of Opportunity’.
- In 2013 it attracted a £1 billion, 35-acre business park investment by the Chinese company Advanced Business Park to another of its derelict sites: the Royal Docks
Key concept: Social progress
Social progress relates to how an individual and community improve their relative status in society over time.
Social progress can be measured by
- reductions in inequalities both between areas and within them;
- improvements in social measures of deprivation
- demographic changes (improvements in life expectancy and reductions in health deprivation):
The Glasgow effect
- The 2010 Marmot Review highlighted stark health inequities in Glasgow.
- Boys in the deprived area of Calton had an average life expectancy of 54 years compared with 84 years in affluent Lenzie, 12 km away.
- This pattern emerged in the 1990s.
- Efforts to combat this have centred on the psychology of health promotion rather than prohibition.
- The Scottish government launched four main initiatives: Equally Well, Achieving Our Potential, a Child Poverty Strategy and the Early Years Framework, designed to tackle poverty, income inequality, health inequities and to ensure that all children are given the best possible start in life.
- Other initiatives include supporting youth centres.
Reductions in Inequalities:
Income Inequality:
Measurement: Gini coefficient or other measures of income distribution.
Rationale: A decrease in income inequality indicates progress toward a more equitable distribution of resources.
Educational Inequality:
Measurement: Disparities in educational attainment and access to quality education.
Rationale: Closing gaps in educational outcomes contributes to a more inclusive and equitable society.
Access to Healthcare:
Measurement: Disparities in access to healthcare services and health outcomes.
Rationale: Reducing healthcare inequalities ensures that all members of society have equal access to necessary medical care.
Improvements in Social Measures of Deprivation:
Poverty Reduction:
Measurement: Decline in the percentage of the population living below the poverty line.
Rationale: A reduction in poverty reflects improvements in economic well-being and social conditions.
Access to Housing:
Measurement: Improvements in housing conditions, including reduced homelessness.
Rationale: Adequate housing is a fundamental aspect of social progress, and improvements contribute to community well-being.
Community Safety:
Measurement: Reduction in crime rates and improvements in overall community safety.
Rationale: A safer community fosters social cohesion and enhances residents’ quality of life.
Demographic Changes:
Life Expectancy:
Measurement: Increase in average life expectancy.
Rationale: Improvements in life expectancy indicate advancements in healthcare, nutrition, and overall living conditions.
Health Deprivation:
Measurement: Reductions in health disparities and improvements in access to healthcare.
Rationale: Reducing health deprivation ensures that all members of society have equal opportunities for good health.
Population Growth:
Measurement: Positive population growth or stabilization.
Rationale: Sustained and balanced population growth contributes to economic vitality and community development
Measuring the success of regeneration - Environmental:
Living Environment deprivation
Reduced pollution levels
Reduction in abandoned and derelict land
. Reduction in Pollution:
Air Quality:
Measurement: Monitoring levels of air pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2).
Rationale: Improvements in air quality contribute to public health and the overall well-being of residents.
Water Quality:
Measurement: Monitoring the quality of local water bodies, including rivers and lakes.
Rationale: Clean water is essential for both environmental health and the health of communities.
Noise Pollution:
Measurement: Assessing noise levels in residential and commercial areas.
Rationale: A reduction in noise pollution enhances the quality of life and supports community well-being.
Reduction in Abandoned and Derelict Land:
Land Remediation:
Measurement: Progress in cleaning up contaminated or abandoned areas.
Rationale: Transforming derelict land into usable spaces enhances the aesthetic appeal of the area and can attract investment.
Brownfield Redevelopment:
Measurement: Utilization of brownfield sites for new development.
Rationale: Redeveloping brownfield sites reduces pressure on greenfield areas and promotes sustainable land use.
Vacant Property Conversion:
Measurement: Conversion of vacant properties into habitable or productive spaces.
Rationale: Revitalizing vacant properties contributes to a more vibrant and functional community.
Quality of the environment
- A large 2012 survey by the ONS, Life in the UK, found that 73 per cent of respondents mentioned the local and global environment as an important factor in well-being:
- The local environment included having access to open, green space within walking distance of home and the quality of the local area.
- Global environment factors included air quality and climate change.
- Regeneration that tackles the built environment, such as better transport links, provision and upgrading of retail space, creation of green space, parks and public areas and improvements in housing, will have positive impacts on health and also act as a draw to people to live there.
- General improvements in aesthetics, security and safety via neighbourhood redesign (pedestrian zones, lighting, street furniture, public art) and tackling environmental stressors (graffiti, litter and noise) are also common components of regeneration programmes.
The Specification asks you to concentrate on the effectiveness of these improvements, in particular: - reductions in pollution levels
- reductions in abandoned and derelict land (called
“drosscape’ in the USA).
The IMD has a separate domain called Living Environment Deprivation, which measures the quality of the local environment. There are two subdivisions:
- Indoors: the quality of housing including the structure (walls, roofs, windows), facilities (modern kitchens and bathrooms), insulation and central heating provision.
- Outdoors: air quality (concentration of four pollutants: nitrogen dioxide, benzene, sulphur dioxide and particulates) and number of road traffic accidents (death or personal injury to a pedestrian or cyclist).
Environmental regeneration projects
- Individuals pay taxes to fund national environmental watchdogs and planners in order to control levels of pollution and overall environmental quality.
- The Environment Agency, Natural England and English Heritage come under the umbrella of Defra (Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).
- Austerity cuts to Defra and local authorities from 2015 will inevitably reduce these organisations’ roles, meaning that businesses, community groups and individuals will need to play a larger role.
- Traditionally dereliction is associated with ex-manufacturing areas and redundant infrastructure, such as power plants.
- However, unused buildings, houses, shops and discarded infrastructure are found in most places.
- In the countryside, redundant dairies and barns feature.
- The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) is a pressure group that campaigns for the greater use of such sites for new housing, rather than building on greenfield sites.
- In 2014 they estimated that 1 million new homes could be built on brownfield sites in England alone.
- These factors and characteristics have an impact on the health of local residents, and on the attractiveness of a place to visitors, residents and investors.
- The surrounding environment is an important factor to the perception of, and attachment to, a place.
- Models may be used to assess why regeneration is needed in specific places which may be tested against reality.
- The spiral of rural decline is a useful model in rural places.
- It can be annotated to show whether it has been broken or reduced by regeneration programmes.
- Environmental regeneration projects deserve recognition separately from general ABIs because, while improving the appearance and form of the built environment and public spaces can be goals in themselves, such improvements often have significant and diverse wider social and economic multiplier benefits.
- Regeneration based on physical upgrades in buildings and space have two basic effects:
- can force out locals because of unintended regeneration, as is happening now around the Olympic site in London
- good planning and place making has a direct impact on individuals’ lives, rather than just delivering
‘gentrification’ effects, as in Glasgow and Broadwater, London.
