What are learning points?
Learning points share what people have learned from their experience in regeneration - from people working or talking together, or from research into issues and evaluation of what is happening. Learning points can help people and organisations to improve their practice through identifying what works and what doesn't.
The views described in learning points are not necessarily supported by the Scottish Centre for Regeneration, the Scottish Government or SURF. They are a summarised reflection of the presentations and resultant debate amongst the invited participants involved in a workshop event. The event format is intended to draw out potentially useful learning points from the diverse perspectives and experience of the participants.
What is this learning point about?
The key messages in this learning point arose from a workshop event delivered in partnership by the Scottish Government, through its Community Regeneration and Tackling Poverty Learning Network, and SURF, Scotland's independent regeneration network, in September 2010.
The participative workshop brought together a range of relevant practitioners to draw on their experience and knowledge in order to explore key issues and lessons for 'making the case' for maintaining investment in regeneration during tough times.
In this harsh economic climate, regeneration practitioners are being challenged even further to provide convincing evidence and arguments to justify projects and interventions.
In this environment, it is useful to know 'what works' and how to use the evidence available to put forward a robust, balanced case. Delegates at this event in Aberdeen looked at case studies of how this has been done successfully at both community and strategic levels.
The event format included presentations from three keynote speakers, who provided practitioners with local, regional and national perspectives. Their informative inputs were followed by facilitated discussion groups and a plenary feedback session designed to share and draw out the experience and knowledge of the participants.
The key speakers were as follows:
- Ian Manson, Chief Executive, Clyde Gateway Urban Regeneration Company
- Sandy Murray, Chief Executive, Tenants First Housing Cooperative
- John Quinn, Head of Regeneration and Housing Investment, Aberdeen City Council
The question and comments session included an additional invited panel member:
- Leona McDermid, Commercial Director, Aberdeen Foyer
The small group discussions focused on the following questions:
- Drawing from the presentations and your own personal experience - what do you consider to be the building blocks to presenting a balanced and robust argument for the support of regeneration activity? Who is the best person to make this case?
- Would a reduction in regeneration investment present any new opportunities or ways of thinking?
- Are there any specific approaches or techniques from the case studies which you could adapt to suit your local context and help support your activity?
- Has referencing case studies ever helped you strengthen an argument for resources for any of your regeneration activities? Do you know of any other case studies that you think represent particularly good examples of cost-effective investment?
What have we learned?
Recognise what makes a place
- One definition of regeneration is: 'revitalising sustainable places'. Sustainable communities require an understood purpose, for example in meeting industrial or social requirements.
- Cases for regeneration should be based on authentic community identity and purpose as far as possible. For example, Craigmillar in Edinburgh was built on mining and brewing industry. The Torry neighbourhood in Aberdeen was developed on harbour commerce. Gorbals in Glasgow originally provided housing for immigrants that had come to work in the city's various burgeoning industries. When such industries decline, this creates fundamental economic and social problems for the community. Addressing these problems means recognising the community's needs and potential opportunities, using these to build a strategy and political support for regeneration efforts.
- For example, in Craigmillar, after the local industries shut down, developed a hospital and retail park in the area to revive economic and social purpose. Gorbals has successfully reinvented itself as a residential community, referencing pride in its history and identity through street art and local celebration. Torry has strong regeneration potential in the form of retail, marine life, tourism and coastal prospects.
Know when to intervene
- Research, scenario planning and economic/social forecasting can be used to monitor and assess when - and what type of - intervention may be required.
- Illustrating the cost of 'not investing' in regeneration can help make the case. What is the local and wider long-term economic, social and environmental impact of leaving a disadvantaged community to decline further?
- Invest in more capacity-building skills among regeneration practitioners to improve confidence and skills to help develop alternative partnership models of local regeneration.
An economic recession brings opportunities as well as drawbacks
- Although public sector investment for regeneration may fall, new opportunities for success can be identified in a difficult economic climate.
- For instance, a recession can cause a decrease in land prices and the value of planning and regeneration tenders, as well as an increase in the supply of available skilled workers. A combination of cheap land and an accessible supply of labour can be very attractive to private businesses. Their active interests can be used to drive local economic development partnership efforts.
- Innovation will be more strongly welcomed by regeneration funding bodies; they will be especially keen to maximise returns from limited investment in a recession. Aberdeen City Council, for example, is having partnership success in responding to fuel poverty concerns by developing innovative cost-effective district heating systems.
- Public agencies are actively responding to the downturn by creating and contributing to local and regional economic recovery plans. Being aware of these plans, and thinking about how your project can complement their aims, is logical.
- Being able to demonstrate a long-term, holistic commitment to regeneration, and making the most of building on previous investment, is also likely to find favour.
Make the most of a small budget
- In a restricted public investment climate, making the most of a limited budget is more important than ever. There are, however, a range of possibilities to make genuine, lasting improvements with a low spend. For example, the Linthouse Development Trust in Glasgow successfully enhanced streetscapes in the Greater Govan area considerably by employing artists to work with the local community and businesses to improve shop fronts on a modest budget. The enhanced image supported greater economic activity and investment.
- A 'triple-bottom-line' system can be used to demonstrate the potential for success in commercial, social and environmental spheres. A project that can contribute to meeting economic, physical and/or social regeneration targets simultaneously will create added value for funding agencies.
Take full advantage of catalysts
- High profile sporting and cultural events can create an impetus for building a strong regeneration 'legacy' at a city and regional level post-event. This impetus can be used to develop long-term improvements in transport infrastructure, levels of tourism, participation in healthy activities, provision of cultural amenities, employment statistics, and quality of housing and parks in the local communities.
- The Clyde Gateway Urban Regeneration Company is responsible for long-term, large-scale regeneration efforts in the east end of Glasgow. Many of their current activities are complementary to the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and incorporate the development of an Athletes Village (that will later become residential housing), a National Indoor Sports Arena and Cycling Velodrome, and completion of the M74 motorway.
- Another catalyst can be the creation of a major new retail hub. The social enterprise Aberdeen Foyer, for example, formed a robust partnership with private sector partners to help hundreds of unemployed local people into posts in the Union Square shopping centre in central Aberdeen. This helped the partners to fill available positions while assisting Aberdeen Foyer's agenda to reduce unemployment, homelessness and social inequality in the city.
Regeneration is a long term aim
- Political courage is a central element in building and maintaining significant support and investment for area regeneration in the longer term, through booms and recessions.
- The risk of losing focus when budgets are tight is considerable - but those with experience and knowledge will be aware of the dangers of undoing previous good work. Enduring commitment engenders trust in the local community and in existing and potential private investors.
Sketch out the possibilities
- Opportunities will arise - and it is wise to have a number of regeneration ideas on standby. Local authorities could draft a number of rough sketches of regeneration ideas in liaison with the community and local partners without immediate concern about funding. The purpose of this is to build up a 'bank' of ideas that can be called upon at short notice when political, social and/or economic changes enhance their realistic potential for delivery.
- The Town Centre Regeneration Fund (TCRF), for example, made £60 million available to support initiatives to regenerate town centres and local high streets across Scotland in 2009-10. Delegates felt that given the notice period for applications, potential bidders with plans and suggestions to draw upon which used existing mechanisms were in a relatively strong position. One local project that received TCRF funding was 'Retail Rocks!', which enables aspiring entrepreneurs to enter a competition to 'win' one of several empty shop units in Torry. The successful bidders will receive 12 months' free rent and 18 months' mentoring from established retail experts.
Engage the capacities of the private sector
- The private sector is often treated as a separate entity by some regeneration players. This can neglect its importance - for example, family-run businesses are normally a central element of local economies.
- All sectors are under pressure in the recession, resulting in partners being potentially more open to creatively working together, offering ideas and taking risks in partnership.
- Delegates felt that the private sector should therefore be more closely involved in supporting the case for local regeneration efforts. Public, voluntary and community stakeholders can do more, both in terms of presenting arguments to local businesses, and involving these businesses in making a joint case to other potential private sector partners.
A more positive attitude to taking calculated risks may be necessary
- Café Connect is a physical and social regeneration project in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, which successfully created an internet café to provide employment and personal development opportunities for adults with disabilities.
- The project was developed by the Tenants First Housing Cooperative in partnership with a local voluntary organisation, Fraserburgh Community Web. Tenants First created momentum in the process by purchasing the café premises before grant funding was secured.
- After the building was purchased, the project benefited from the support of Aberdeenshire Council, the Scottish Government (via Wider Role funding) and the European Union (via the European Regional Development Fund).
- The project would have been unlikely to have gained adequate momentum to be put into action if the housing association had not borne the calculated risk by buying the premises. Determination, persistence and accepting an element of risk is often a necessity in any regeneration efforts.
Identify the different types of value a project can offer
- The Café Connect project successfully presented its case to funders by basing evidence on different types of value. Seen from a business perspective, the commercial value of the project was limited to the market value of the café premises. Considerable restoration work was, however, required to put the building to productive use. Similar to many historic buildings, it became necessary to work out the 'conservation deficit', i.e. the gap in funding between the market value and these additional costs.
- Regeneration project developers should be able to present arguments in social values as well as commercial values. Social accounting can be used to give potential funders a useful prediction of the anticipated impacts.
- For example, the Social Return on Investment (SROI) method can be used to present a financial return, e.g. every £1 spent on a health project may reduce public health care costs by £2.50.
- Social accounting can also be used to measure a wide range of less tangible impacts, e.g. the influence of a physical regeneration project on a streetscape, in terms of helping to ensure that the local area is attractive and has a positive image and reputation.
- Another value that projects can offer is a commitment to directly address local unemployment. For example, some Clyde Gateway contractors are required to take on local residents as construction skills trainees, a proportion of whom go on to become permanent employees.
Develop a mixed approach
- Large-scale mono-tenure housing estates are now generally recognised as being inconsistent with the development of successful communities, although they were originally established with the good intentions of improving much-worse earlier housing conditions.
- Mixed land use and mixed tenure housing is normally seen as a desirable element in a sustainable community. There is the view that mixed communities can more easily adapt to industrial and social changes in the long-term compared to communities that rely on a single industry or attracting residents with a single type of housing.
- Evidence for place-based regeneration would be more strongly welcomed if planned developments have mixed use.
- Approaches such as 'blind tenure' - not having a clear, identifiable division between social and private housing - can help to consolidate community cohesion.
Referencing case studies can lend weight to new arguments
Case studies can be used to:
- Enhance confidence and provide inspiration
- Offer valuable learning opportunities
- Demonstrate the effectiveness of different approaches to shared challenges
- Show how and where funding can be attained
- Reveal a 'human side' to regeneration activity
- Inform through both positive and negative experiences
Useful case study sources include projects highlighted in:
- Scottish Centre for Regeneration Case Study Reports
- SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration
- Scottish Government Awards for Quality in Planning
See the 'further information' section at the end of this learning point for website links to these sources.
The case should be made to the right people by the right people
- It is often necessary to make the case for regeneration to a wide variety of people and organisations through a number of communication channels. The approach should be tailored to meet the needs of the specific audience. However, it is also beneficial to present a 'single narrative' that focuses on a broad, ambitious outcome or vision rather than many small, modest ones.
- Representatives of the local community can often serve as effective advocates for neighbourhood regeneration. Their local knowledge, energy and enthusiasm can provide and communicate a stronger case for regeneration efforts.
- This can also be highly beneficial in presenting a sympathetic and clear rationale to local politicians, local media and the wider public.
What next?
The issues identified at this event will form part of a programme of activities for the Community Regeneration and Tackling Poverty Learning Network. This Learning Network supports Community Planning Partnerships, and their partners, to improve activity to regenerate communities and tackle poverty. It is led by the Scottish Centre for Regeneration, and links up with learning promoted by other parts of the Scottish Government.
The Learning Network will provide support and help people to exchange information and ideas. This will include organising further events; identifying and publishing information about case studies of good practice; and developing other opportunities for sharing experiences through study visits and working groups.
You can join the Learning Network online at Partners in Regeneration www.partnersinregeneration.com or contact Heather Smith, Learning Network Co-ordinator, on 0141 271 3735.
SURF will also continue to explore this theme in its own programme of events and publications. Further information on SURF and its work is available on the SURF website ( www.scotregen.co.uk).
Further information
SURF
As Scotland's independent regeneration network, SURF uses its extensive cross-sector membership of over 250 organisations to explore current practice, experience and knowledge in community regeneration.
SURF provides a neutral space to facilitate this sharing of information through its well-recognised annual programme of activities and informal networking. SURF uses the resulting feedback from interaction across its membership to constructively influence the development of more successful regeneration policy and practice through its links with key policy advisers in the Scottish Government and elsewhere.
SURF website: www.scotregen.co.uk
Scottish Centre for Regeneration
This document is published by the Scottish Centre for Regeneration, which is part of the Scottish Government. We support our public, private and voluntary sector delivery partners to become more effective at:
- regenerating communities and tackling poverty
- developing more successful town centres and local high streets
- creating and managing mixed and sustainable communities
- making housing more energy efficient
- managing housing more efficiently and effectively
We do this through:
- coordinating learning networks which bring people together to identify the challenges they face and to support them to tackle these through events, networking and capacity building programmes
- identifying and sharing innovation and practice through publishing documents detailing examples of projects and programmes and highlighting lessons learned
- developing partnerships with key players in the housing and regeneration sector to ensure that our activities meet their needs and support their work
Scottish Centre for Regeneration
Scottish Government
Highlander House
58 Waterloo Street
Glasgow
G2 7DA
Tel: 0141 271 3736
Email: contactscr@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.partnersinregeneration.com
The views expressed in learning points are those of participants at various events and are not necessarily shared by their employers, the Scottish Centre for Regeneration (SCR) or the Scottish Government.
October 2010