Inside Housing launches new Spotlight on Regeneration series

As part of Spotlight on Regeneration, Inside Housing will:

• Partner with the Northern Housing Consortium on its inquiry on housing-led regeneration in the North (supported by Homes for the North and Muse), covering each evidence session
• Partner PlaceShapers on its work to highlight the placemaking role of social landlords and the role housing-led regeneration plays across the UK
• Convene a series of fact-finding meetings with sector leaders to look at the contribution regeneration makes across communities and how to remove obstacles to delivery
• Run series of articles focused on housing-led regeneration, starting with a week devoted to these stories

We will also cover the Estate Regeneration in Practice study tour as part of Housing Week London.

Catherine Ryder, chief executive of PlaceShapers, said: “Regeneration is not just about bricks and mortar, it delivers far-reaching economic and social benefits, and brings hope and opportunity at a time when that feels in short supply.”

Despite this, there is concern that regeneration schemes are becoming trickier to get off the ground in some parts of the country. Our recent long-read about reforms the government is making to the Treasury’s Green Book took a detailed look at one potential solution to this.

“Regeneration can make an important contribution to the government’s ambition of a decade of national renewal, but it currently doesn’t seem to be part of the government’s plan,” Ms Ryder added.

“We are looking forward to working with Inside Housing and partners over the coming months to see how we can put regeneration back on the agenda.”

Tracy Harrison, chief executive of the Northern Housing Consortium, said: “We’re proud to be partnering with Inside Housing on their Spotlight on Regeneration [series], which will highlight our parliamentary inquiry, supported by Homes for the North and Muse.

“Through original research, on-the-ground visits and far-reaching engagement with communities, we’ll explore how housing-led regeneration can tackle the housing crisis, deliver economic growth and strengthen communities.”

The North of England is “disproportionally affected by low quality homes, with over one million non-decent homes in the region”. The private rented sector is particularly affected and research by the Northern Housing Consortium showing there are 126,000 social housing homes in the North reaching the end of their serviceable life, Ms Harrison added.

“By bringing together voices from across the housing sector – including housing partnerships, local and mayoral authorities, national government, residents and academics – we aim to develop bold, evidence-based recommendations that ensure no one and nowhere is left behind.

“Inside Housing will be following the inquiry closely and bringing you up to date with each development.”

This new series kicked off with an article focused on the difference a regeneration scheme made to an estate in Walthamstow, east London. It also affected the lives and careers of Syreeta Robinson-Gayle, head of affordable housing at Barratt London, who grew up on the estate, and Ian McDermott, chief executive of Peabody, who worked on the redevelopment plans early in his career.

We would love to hear from people with examples of successful housing-led regeneration schemes to feature in the series as it continues.