What you need to know about... regeneration in the North

The timing for this renewed focus is positive: three months ago, the chancellor indicated that the government was still committed to Northern prosperity by announcing £1.7bn of new investment in its city regions, to kick-start regeneration.

But can the North still get what it needs from a government in turmoil, and in an economy that is growing too slowly?

And what’s going on with regeneration in the North now?

“It’s not just about the need for new supply but the need for regeneration. The North is not homogenous and it doesn’t look the same all the way across, but there are many places where it looks very distinctly different,” Tracy Harrison, chief executive of the NHC, told Inside Housing last year.

She also said there was a huge appetite for change and improvement in the North, where regeneration has not yet become synonymous with gentrification and exclusion: “We can look at positive examples of regen in the North that have been done ‘with’ people rather than ‘to’ them.”

“The North is not homogenous and it doesn’t look the same all the way across, but there are many places where it looks very distinctly different”

Last year the NHC launched its inquiry into regeneration in the North, known as Renew, to understand how projects are progressing – or not – in the region and how to make large-scale neighbourhood renewal a more viable prospect.

Over the past 18 months, the research team has surveyed everyone from council officers and housing association chief executives to local residents and community businesses.

Although the final report is still underway, delegates at Housing 2026 can hear the first findings shared by leading contributor Patrick Murray, executive director of policy and external relations at the NHC.

Early analysis has found that housing-led regeneration could create more than half a million new homes in the North, but that devolved funding to design and lead that would be necessary to see such an ambitious target to fruition.

Around 100,000 homes are already planned in forthcoming regeneration schemes, mainly based in towns and cities, but there is the opportunity for 320,000 new homes on brownfield land, too. 

It’s not all about new housing, however; 100,000 existing social homes in the region are also in need of upgrades. Research has shown that 25,000 homes in the North are not compliant with the Decent Homes Standard.

The Renew report also notes the “structural drag” that ageing and difficult-to-maintain homes place on social landlords’ balance sheets; while they must try to improve these homes to meet minimum regulatory standards, they cannot invest as much in new supply.

There are wider implications for this crisis. Speaking at an NHC summit in 2025, Paul Fiddaman, group chief executive of Karbon Homes, cautioned that failing to focus on regeneration could lead to a dangerous rise in populism within Northern communities.

“If we don’t do it, I think we end up with communities that feel they’re not listened to, left behind, and that is a breeding ground for political extremism and populism.

“And I think we shoot ourselves in the foot if we surrender ourselves to that sort of dynamic.”

The interim report from the project says these prospective sites can only be unlocked with the help of grant funding, and has called for a £500m-a-year fund to be run by local mayors.

Other recommendations include the appointment of a minister for regeneration who works across government departments, and a clear set of expected housing standards set out to build trust with current and future residents.

What will happen next?

Long-term funding for housing negotiated as part of the 2025 Spending Review and the creation of the National Housing Bank means the sector now has more options available to solve its challenges. But stumbling blocks lie ahead.

Delegates interested in how to tackle these may join the conference’s session on community-led renewal, which will look at the practical barriers that stand in the way of local housing providers in making regeneration a reality.

Pat Ritchie, chair of Homes England, has stated that “regeneration rarely follows a straight line”.

She added: “Regeneration at the scale the North needs cannot be achieved by the public sector alone. A central part of our role is to give investors confidence by improving certainty, reducing risk and supporting strong, credible pipelines of schemes.

“Housing-led regeneration takes time and long-term commitment. But it remains one of the most effective ways to support growth, improve residents’ well-being and make sure existing communities benefit from the changes happening around them.”

The Great North Theatre at Housing 2026 will explore the future of Northern regeneration with a variety of sessions on 23 June. Find out more below.