URBAN RENAISSANCE PLANNING:

Prepared for

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CHAPTER 1 : AN INTRODUCTION
In England, during 19th century huge population growth resulted in the necessity of
building new housing to accommodate the exploding population growth. This scenario
led to the debate of constructing new houses versus protecting aesthetic environment and
contain urban sprawl. Research around the time of this debate has shown that the antiurban sentiments and desires for living in the rural areas were stronger in the society
(URBED, 1999). Equally there was a stronger aspiration for protecting environment,
greenfield by building high density housing areas and developments in the brownfield sites
if necessary (Popular Housing Forum, 1998). The National view of development in the
brownfield drove the UK governments strategy to development of 50% brownfield
development and re-use and cut the new household constructions to 3.8 million by the
year 1996 to 2021 (DETR, 1999).
The above mentioned scenarios resulted in establishment of Urban Task Force led by Lord
Rogers of Riverside to study (Carmona, 2001). The main concern of the Urban Task Force
was not to address the problems of constructing the new houses and finding the location
for development, but to identify the key issues of urban deterioration and long term urban
decline (Regan, 2000) and to propose key resolutions and action plans to revitalize the
whole appearance of the cities and towns in England making them ideal place for the
people to move back (Abbott et al., 2000). The whole concept of urban development
portrayed in the report of Urban Task Force- Towards an urban renaissance was founded
on the aspects of design excellence, environmental sustainability, social-wellbeing within
the feasible economic and legislative context meeting its commitments towards
environment in all the developments (Durant et al., 2004, Urban Task Force, 1998).
Urban renaissance in the UK as detailed in the report- Towards the urban renaissance,
envisions the sustainable development of cities and towns in England, must be in a way
that it underlines the key themes such as
1. Improving the recycling efficiency of land concurrently developing better and
aesthetic quality environment to attain the sustainable development within the
cities and towns (Allinson, 2005) (Carmona, 2001).
2. Creating a change in the public perception driving the change of negative to positive
attitude towards urban environments and quality of life (Urban Task Force, 2005).
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3. Development

and

re-investment

in

environmental,

social-economic

infrastructures.
These key themes are founded on the combined principles of
1. Design excellence
2. Economic stability
3. Environmental development ad sustainability
4. Social-wellbeing
1.1 The drive of Sustainable urban renaissance in UK: Urban Malaise and public
attitude of urban life.
One of the major driving factors behind the concept of urban regeneration was the need of
the need of housing development. Although the aspiration of greenfield protection and
brownfield development was strong, anti-urban sentiments mainly drove the migration of
people to rural areas away from the cities resulting in dilapidation of towns and cities.
There are many driving factors of the above said anti-urban sentiments, and identifying
the root causes of this was the main intention of Urban Task Force (URBED, 1999)
There are various reasons for urban malaise and deterioration. Industrialization had a
marked effect on poor environmental conditions in the cities and towns and cities (Urban
Task Force, 1999). Urban Task Force when studied 20 different areas in South England
identified many major reasons of urban decline and peoples attitude of moving away from
the city. Major problems identified in this report were huge exploitation of natural
resources, environmental pollution (water, air, and sound), due to intensive car use
(Durant et al., 2004). Increased accesses to car transport have also created significant
impact contribution to environmental pollution (HM Govt, 1994; DoE and DoT, 1994).
In a research survey by the governments Countryside Commission, 54% of all adults in
the study area wanted to live in rural setting while only 6% would prefer a home in the
inner city (Schoon, 2001). These scenarios strongly driven the need of urban regeneration
plans to be prominent in England making cities beautiful places for the people live in
(While, 2006).
Table 1: Various signs of urban renaissance and Malaise identified within the urban
developmental context
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Source: Carmona, (2001).

1.2 Environmental management aspects of urban regeneration

There are many environmental management concepts are to be looked in details to
understand the aspect of sustainable regeneration. The major factors such realistic use of
natural resource usage through recycling, improved biodiversity areas, parks, open spaces
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underlying the concept of design excellence, reduced energy and water usages, better waste
management procedures, controlling pollution etc. are also placed at the center of
sustainable urban regeneration.
Transport lies at the heart of urban regeneration. Designing efficiently the transport
system such that it give priority to walking, cycling and public transport; and public
transport connecting city centers with strong sub-centers, non-polluting motor transport
etc. These are the clear strategies of sustainable development of urban areas developed and
discussed in the context of environmental management by Urban Task Force (Davidson,
1995, p.V). These key strategies are based on the principles of urban regeneration. Table 2
demonstrates

key

strategies and

principles indicating the

development

and

implementation of sustainable urban development

DESIGN EXCELLENCE

Quality of design of homes and infrastructures underlining the needs of energy efficiency
housing, intensification, development of parks and open spaces, protecting of the green
structures and prioritizing brownfield development and biodiversity. Establishing
connections between houses, jobs and local services encouraging walking and public
transport (Carmona, 2001).

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT

Within the new urban development, the following environmental factors are needed to be
considered in detail to allow the best practices of sustainable regeneration

B IODIVERSITY

Important considerations have to be given during construction and development of

infrastructures and buildings, community areas such as parks and open spaces such that it
is not causing the extinction of species and destruction of biodiversity. Activities such as
deforestation and greenfield development should not be encouraged (Hahs et al, 2009).
Better environmental practices have to be encouraged to preserve low level biodiversity
and patches of vegetation and water (Bryan et al, 2007).

RUNOFF

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Urban runoff and wash off of roads and other pollutants into river, drains and water course
are also main problem which is needed to be addressed. Absence of greenfield because of
extensive development, presence of hard surfaces, lack of spaces to contain the rainfall
water and lack of proper channel to facilitate the passage of rainfall to water course, are
mainly responsible for the wide impacts caused by the run-offs (Sundaram, 2010).
Sustainable Urban Drainage systems (SUDS), green roofs are important considerations
within the urban regeneration to address the flooding, run-offs and pollution. It also
ensures the preservation and blooming of biodiversity within the urban settlement (Farm,
2008).

POLLUTION

Adequate environmental management procedures are needed to be taken in place to

manage water, air and sound pollution. Managing the water demand and supply to
facilitate the better utilization of resources, rainwater harvesting system, treatment
facilities to decontaminate pollutants are also important considerations. (Fulazzaky,
2009).

ENERGY

Environmental management procedures are to be considered within the new development

to that encompasses different aspects of energy conservation, regeneration and reducing
dependence fossil fuels. Installation of renewable energy generation methods such
photovoltaic cells and solar panels, wind energy and other forms of renewable energy must
be encouraged. Development of policies and financial infrastructures to encourage the
investment in sustainable energy sector is also important (Unander, 2005).
Urban Task Force in 1999 identified various urban and pull factors encouraging the
renaissance also driving the public attitude towards living cities or rural areas. Table 3
demonstrates these pull factors driving the regeneration
Table 2: Key strategies and principles indicating the development and implementation
of sustainable urban development

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Source: Carmona, (2001).

Table 3: The major pulling factors of urban and suburban development and relocation

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Source: Burton et al., (1998).

Chapter 2: Case Studies of Sustainabl e Urban

Regeneration- Progresses and Fl aws
The significant change the urban renaissance has contributed to the urban area
development is the way of design of the cities and towns evolving around the key principles
of sustainable regeneration. Although the sustainable indicators, strategies, policies are
developed to encourage the urban regeneration activities, there has been certain
developmental processes in cities like Manchester, Birmingham, London Dock areas,
exhibited poor level of sustainability (Punter, 2010). The case studies represented here are
having the positive and negative developmental scenarios in terms of achieving
sustainability.
Achieving sustainability is a holistic process of addressing various environmental, socio economic developments and issues which are elaborated earlier in the essay.
Unfortunately there are no regeneration projects within England which covered all of the
sustainable regeneration key aspects (). Many of the regeneration projects within UK even
when tried to cover the different aspect of urban regeneration aspects, most of them were
resulted in below par success. (). The action plans of development are different for cities
to cities and projects to projects. It has been emphasized by design oriented development
observed in cities like Camden, Nottingham, Westminster and Edinburgh (Punter, 2010).
The same design control development was observed in cities like Manchester and City of
London also whereas cities such as Birmingham, Leeds were having the developmental

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grounds of economic based renaissance(Unsworth, 2007) The same sort of development

was observed in cities like Glasgow, Liverpool and Sheffield(Batty, 2006).

Regeneration of the London Docklands

The London Docklands Development Corporation

By the mid of 19th century London turned out be one of the cities in the world that faced
serious problems due to unregulated and rapid expansion resulted in deterioration and
dereliction of many of the docks and many of the docks were abandoned. To identify the
reasons of dilapidation and regeneration of Docklands in London a committee known as
London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) was formed in 1981.
The main characteristic problems in the Isle of Dogs in 1981

Decline in the population, economic crisis, loss of employment due to decline of

docklands

Access to remaining parts of London became poor with underdeveloped and

destructed roads with heavy congestions, traffic problems and lack of public
transport

More than 95 % of the buildings in the area was terraced with poor build quality
and were high rise
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 Lack of shopping places, open spaces and greeneries

Partners of Regeneration Plan
Along with LDDC, national government, property developers, local housing
association, Newham Council and Conservation group were involved in the
regeneration plan.

Changes happened between 1981 - 1998

Environmental Regeneration
Establishment of pavements and pedestrian bridges and ways to encourage
pedestrians and cyclers through the riverside areas and development of dock edge
waterside walkway
2. construction of new open green spaces of 150ha
3. Development of water based ecology park and Bird sanctuary at East India Dock.
The area is characterized by
- Water based Ecology Park and London's first bird sanctuary at East India Dock
Basin - one of 17 conservation areas set up
- planting of 200,000 trees;
- the area has now received many awards for architecture, conservation and
landscaping
1.

Economic Regeneration
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unemployment had fallen from 14% to 7.4 with a doubling in employment and
numbers of businesses;
- transport revolution - opening of the Docklands Light Railway in 1987 - now
carrying 35,000 passengers a week;
- 7.7 billion in private secotr investment
- 2,700 businesses trading
- major new roads including link to the M11
- Building of the City Airport in the former Royal Docks (500,000+ passengers a
year)
- attraction of financial and high-tech firms,
- TV studios and newspapers such as The Guardian now have offices in the
prestigious Canary Wharf business complex.

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Social Changes

- 10 million spent on improvement council and housing association homes

- a total of 22,000 new homes built (mainly private ownership with approx 19%
for rent)
- conversion and gentrification of old warehouses to new homes
- New shopping centre built - including 4,600sq metres Asda Superstore and
refurbishment of shopping parades - also included transformation of old dockland
buildings into shopping outlets (e.g. Tobacco Dock)
- Large new shopping centre at Canary Wharf with over 30 shops
- many restaurants, pubs and cafes built
- Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre
- 100 million spent on health, education, job training etc.

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There were criticisms that despite the improvements many of these didn't benefit
the original 'eastenders' - click on the photo opposite to see some of the 'antiLDDC' graffiti.
- many locals were unable to afford the high costs of the new expensive houses /
flats (still a lack of low-cost housing in the area).
- despite an increase in jobs with new businesses coming in, most required skills
that the old dockers did not have;
- reduction in community spirit that the old Docklands had - with the 'yuppie'
newcomers not mixing with the eastenders.

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Liverpool and Manchester Regeneration Project

In Liverpool regeneration project in 2002 was characterized by open street retail project,
interconnecting the pedestrian streets of the city Centre. Developments such as High
Quality streets, town spaces and green spaces and open spaces, near to car parking areas,
recreational areas, allowing the commuting via cycles and walking (Punter, 2010) (Figure
1). Manchester, the built environment with ample open space for the public and also trees
on the side spaces. Both cities, part of the urban renaissance design has been proven with
great results of advantages (Evans, 2007).

Source Punter, (2010).

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Figure 2 Manchester
Source Punter, Planning and good design: indivisible or invisible? 2010

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Sustainabl e urban devel opment in Leeds, UK

An overview of the case study
East Bank urban regeneration area of Leeds is an 84-hectare site located to the south east
of the city Centre, see figures 1 and 2. Outside London, Leeds has the most diverse
economy and most manufacturing jobs in the country (Leeds City Council, 2003). Despite
the economic success of the city many areas bare the hallmarks of a post-industrial city;
one in five people who live in Leeds still live in neighborhoods that are amongst the worst
10% in the country (the Leeds initiative, 2005).
The East Bank area was one such area targeted for urban regeneration. Between 1996 and
2003 the area underwent a 7-year Single Regeneration Budget Round 2 (SRB2) project
managed by Renew. Figure 3 provides information about Renew and the East Bank
Project.
On measuring the sustainability level of urban project it showed that, there are some levels
sustainability poorly managed and issues are improperly addressed. These mainly include
environmental aspect of waste management, water management and resource
management. Energy efficiency associated with the building was also found to be low.
The importance of proper environmental management procedure with the prospect of
achieving sustainability was also found to be very significant as the performance indicators
were very low. It was compound by the in-efficient house hold waste disposal.

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Even though the environmental design and build in terms of travel design, transport, open
spaces, proper residential developments etc. were good; it was just above par, leaving the
efficiency of regeneration practices in revitalizing the concept of sustainability. Figure 5:
Shows the representation of Performance indicators of urban regeneration in Leeds.

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