Cultural Masterplanning: New Methods for Developer-led Urban Regeneration
Lead Research Organisation:
Manchester Metropolitan University
Department Name: Manchester School of Art Research Centre
Abstract
This unparalleled opportunity for secondment situates an academic within the UK's foremost urban regeneration property company, to research new approaches to large scale urban regeneration projects. The 3 year secondment will contribute to the re-establishment of culture-led regeneration in the UK and also pave the way to establishing the first R&D department within a UK commercial property company. In addition, it will shift the focus of private sector led city-scale urban regeneration projects towards people, planet and place, thereby contributing to:
- the national agenda on sustainable and inclusive development
- planning reform
- improving perceptions of academia within the property industry
- setting a new bar for collaborative working across professions, academia and industry
In the 1980's, the UK Government initiated a series public sector driven urban regeneration programmes aimed at transforming declining post-industrial cities, this led to the establishment of the UK as a world-leader in urban regeneration and the transformation of cities. Within this climate, the secondee, Dan Dubowitz, pioneered a Cultural Masterplanning approach to transforming post-industrial cities, initially as an academic through action-research for the city of Glasgow, and subsequently through his professional practice 'Civic Works', he shaped culture led regeneration in Manchester, Sunderland, Newcastle, Stoke on Trent and London. Cultural Masterplanning is credited with shifting urban regeneration from a property-centred approach towards a more holistic, people, place and sustainability focused transformation. For example, Ancoats in Manchester went from being a post-industrial wasteland devoid of everyday life to becoming the 10th most popular place to live globally in just 10 years. (See Dubowitz, D. 2011 The Peeps, Manchester University Press).
The methods and processes he developed between 1997-2012 were delivered under several publicly driven programmes, and 10 years on, the private sector is increasingly expected to assume the role and burden, previously shouldered by the various now-defunct government agencies, of driving the regeneration of our cities, but without a toolkit to assist delivery. It is widely recognised that to assume the market knows best and/or that the statutory planning processes cover all aspects of development satisfactorily, is inadequate. The UK government is currently exploring ways to improve the statutory planning process to address its many shortcomings, including how communities can be better represented. How then can it be demonstrated that, without public subsidy, Culture-led urban regeneration can improve outcomes for all stakeholders?
This secondment seeks to explore, through action research, how Cultural Masterplanning principles and methods that were effective in delivering public subsidy driven urban regeneration can be adapted for the private sector. Firstly, through action research on a live regeneration project underway in Manchester city centre and secondly to apply the principles and research findings to other regeneration projects around the UK. The Host organisation U&I are providing access for action-research, both to current regeneration projects and those being planned and they will be match-funding the secondment (cash and in kind). On completion of the secondment, they will fund/publish an open-source tool kit as well as host a roadshow with exhibitions to share the new Cultural Masterplanning approach, both here in the UK and internationally.
- the national agenda on sustainable and inclusive development
- planning reform
- improving perceptions of academia within the property industry
- setting a new bar for collaborative working across professions, academia and industry
In the 1980's, the UK Government initiated a series public sector driven urban regeneration programmes aimed at transforming declining post-industrial cities, this led to the establishment of the UK as a world-leader in urban regeneration and the transformation of cities. Within this climate, the secondee, Dan Dubowitz, pioneered a Cultural Masterplanning approach to transforming post-industrial cities, initially as an academic through action-research for the city of Glasgow, and subsequently through his professional practice 'Civic Works', he shaped culture led regeneration in Manchester, Sunderland, Newcastle, Stoke on Trent and London. Cultural Masterplanning is credited with shifting urban regeneration from a property-centred approach towards a more holistic, people, place and sustainability focused transformation. For example, Ancoats in Manchester went from being a post-industrial wasteland devoid of everyday life to becoming the 10th most popular place to live globally in just 10 years. (See Dubowitz, D. 2011 The Peeps, Manchester University Press).
The methods and processes he developed between 1997-2012 were delivered under several publicly driven programmes, and 10 years on, the private sector is increasingly expected to assume the role and burden, previously shouldered by the various now-defunct government agencies, of driving the regeneration of our cities, but without a toolkit to assist delivery. It is widely recognised that to assume the market knows best and/or that the statutory planning processes cover all aspects of development satisfactorily, is inadequate. The UK government is currently exploring ways to improve the statutory planning process to address its many shortcomings, including how communities can be better represented. How then can it be demonstrated that, without public subsidy, Culture-led urban regeneration can improve outcomes for all stakeholders?
This secondment seeks to explore, through action research, how Cultural Masterplanning principles and methods that were effective in delivering public subsidy driven urban regeneration can be adapted for the private sector. Firstly, through action research on a live regeneration project underway in Manchester city centre and secondly to apply the principles and research findings to other regeneration projects around the UK. The Host organisation U&I are providing access for action-research, both to current regeneration projects and those being planned and they will be match-funding the secondment (cash and in kind). On completion of the secondment, they will fund/publish an open-source tool kit as well as host a roadshow with exhibitions to share the new Cultural Masterplanning approach, both here in the UK and internationally.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Daniel Dubowitz (Principal Investigator) |