Renewing urban renewal in France,the UK and the Netherlands: Introduction

Three central questions are addressed in this ‘policy and practice’ special issue of the Journal of Housing and the Built Environment; the extent and the nature of changing approaches to urban renewal in France, the UK and the Netherlands; the effects this has on the articulation between public, private and civil actors; and the capacity of different actors to deal with their new roles and positions. This introduction compares the contributions to the special issue. A framework for this comparison is developed and then applied to the three countries under scrutiny. It appears that the objectives of urban renewal have not fundamentally changed. However, a common tendency towards greater involvement of local actors leads to more network-oriented types of co-ordination and thus influences the roles of both public and private actors. Notwithstanding this evolution, the central and crucial role of public actors in urban renewal persists.     

Local policies and local government legitimacy. The Swedish case

Do local policies improve local government legitimacy and how do different forms of legitimacy relate to each other? These questions are analysed on the basis of an extensive survey carried out in 2010 in 111 Swedish municipalities, that generated responses from approximately 50,800 citizens, and complemented with register-based background data. Local legitimacy is construed as citizens’ assessments of whether the local political system functions in an acceptable way. Distinctions are made between input legitimacy, output legitimacy related to welfare services and output legitimacy that concerns basic collective services. Controlling for other individual and municipal-level factors, policies aimed at improving input legitimacy have an effect, but it is even more important that local government delivers welfare and other services in a way that is appreciated by the citizens. Output legitimacy related to welfare services is improved by public provision of these services, but not by additional spending. On the other hand, spending on cultural institutions, leisure, roads and streets increases citizens’ appreciation of basic collective services. In addition, the study shows that all three types of local government legitimacy are empirically related to each other. Whether they enhance each other or reflect one underlying dimension calls for further time-series-based research.     

旧城更新中城市文化再生方法分析

阐述了城市更新的现实意义,通过对城市更新中城市文化现状的分析,从五个方面研究了城市更新中城市文化再生的途径,最后指出探索、实施城市文化再生对适应现代城市生活需求、满足市场机制要求的特色城市形成具有重要的现实意义。     

Partnerships and networks: The governance of urban regeneration in Britain

Urban regeneration in Britain has often been described as being ‘market-led’. However, such a characterisation does justice neither to the complexity of urban policy over the past 25 years, nor to the changes that have taken place in the same period. Nevertheless, since the beginning of the 1980s partnership with the private sector – however the concept has been understood – has been a vital ingredient of the regeneration process. What is striking is the way that the will to involve the private sector has had a profound impact on local governance. This paper outlines the evolution of urban regeneration in the context of evolving urban policy since 1979. It traces the approach adopted by the Conservative government in the 1980s, specifically through the use of Urban Development Corporations; it examines the change of heart in the early 1990s that preceded the coming into power of a Labour administration; and it looks at the experience of urban regeneration under the leadership of Tony Blair. It explores the changing role of key actors within the process, and the way in which urban local government has responded to the evolution of national policy. The case of Sheffield is used to illustrate the general theme of changing national policy.     

The local governance of culture-led regeneration projects: a comparison between Montreal and Toronto

This article analyses culture-led regeneration processes in the context of two case studies. We analyse the roles of urban stakeholders and the adaptation of regeneration strategies in two different local planning cultures: Toronto and Montreal. The two regeneration projects analysed are the redevelopment of the Toronto Entertainment District and a real-estate project proposal within the ‘Quartier des Spectacles’ in Montreal. The analysis highlights the specific planning culture embedded in local governance, aligned with two distinct applications of the creative city concept.     

Integrated urban renewal in The Netherlands: a critical appraisal

Urban renewal policies in The Netherlands already have a long history, which is characterised by varying attention for either smaller-scale (neighbourhood) or larger-scale (city) issues, and for either physical, social or economic questions. These variations run parallel with more general discourses on urban dynamics and perceptions of processes in (urban) society at large. In this paper the recent history of urban renewal policies will be briefly sketched, including their main orientations. Recent Big Citie Policies, currently in the third generation, will receive special attention and the actual policy discourse will be critically evaluated and confronted with some essential empirical findings. In this process, the Dutch policy on integrated urban renewal shows clear parallels with the experience in other Western European countries, demonstrating that a Western European paradigm of urban policies is in the making: integrated, area-based, with involvement of both public and market partners and residents. Nevertheless, the Dutch case is more outspoken than the approaches in other Western European countries, by paying more attention to the issue of social cohesion or integration and to the promotion of social mix as a solution for a lack of social cohesion in neighbourhoods. At the same time it is clear that this new paradigm of urban policies shows the characteristics of a discourse that is not based on research and on empirical facts, but that develops its own momentum from shared beliefs regarding the nature of urban problems and the appropriate policy responses. This new paradigm needs reconsideration.     

Integrated urban renewal in The Netherlands: a critical appraisal

Urban renewal policies in The Netherlands already have a long history, which is characterised by varying attention for either smaller-scale (neighbourhood) or larger-scale (city) issues, and for either physical, social or economic questions. These variations run parallel with more general discourses on urban dynamics and perceptions of processes in (urban) society at large. In this paper the recent history of urban renewal policies will be briefly sketched, including their main orientations. Recent Big Citie Policies, currently in the third generation, will receive special attention and the actual policy discourse will be critically evaluated and confronted with some essential empirical findings. In this process, the Dutch policy on integrated urban renewal shows clear parallels with the experience in other Western European countries, demonstrating that a Western European paradigm of urban policies is in the making: integrated, area-based, with involvement of both public and market partners and residents. Nevertheless, the Dutch case is more outspoken than the approaches in other Western European countries, by paying more attention to the issue of social cohesion or integration and to the promotion of social mix as a solution for a lack of social cohesion in neighbourhoods. At the same time it is clear that this new paradigm of urban policies shows the characteristics of a discourse that is not based on research and on empirical facts, but that develops its own momentum from shared beliefs regarding the nature of urban problems and the appropriate policy responses. This new paradigm needs reconsideration.     

An evaluation of urban regeneration: the effectiveness of a retail-led project in Lisbon

To overcome the decline of the vitality and viability of town centres across several Western European cities, urban regeneration projects have been implemented. Despite their dissemination, there are shortcomings regarding the evaluation of the impacts produced by such projects. We aim to contribute to the existing literature on the subject by undertaking an evaluation of a retail-led urban regeneration project that was implemented in Lisbon’s historic centre. We conclude that although there were significant outputs, the project was not effective and did not manage to improve the viability of the area as an important commercial area of Lisbon.     

The path to successful urban renewal: Current policy debates in the Netherlands

In Dutch urban renewal, we observe an implementation gap between dreaming and doing. Dutch national government recently proposed to focus urban renewal on more than 50 priority areas in the cities and to reduce urban renewal subsidies. It is not very likely that this policy will accelerate urban renewal. This contribution suggests a different approach: the formulation of an urban district vision shared by the sustainable stakeholders in those districts. If they can come to an agreement, they deserve housing association finance and public urban renewal support. By targeting the plans primarily on the social climbers in the urban districts involved, the city can keep their buying power within the city. Combining physical, social, economic and safety agendas and adopting a multi-functional orientation would seem to be a successful strategy.     

A note on the use of developer charges in Australian local government

A pronounced degree of vertical imbalance in Australian fiscal federalism has placed increasing financial pressures on lower levels of government, including local government. This has led local government to seek additional ways of financing infrastructure development through developer charges. Due to the lower priority the Australian Bureau of Statistics has accorded local government statistics in recent years, it has been difficult to gauge the extent of use of developer charges as a revenue source. This paper attempts to review the evolution of developer contributions policy and describe the increasing importance of these charges in Australian local government, with special emphasis on New South Wales.     

Urban history and cultural resources in urban regeneration: a case of creative waterfront renewal

In recent decades, the role of culture and history has often become a driving factor in the process of urban regeneration. The focus on culture and history as factors in regional transformation has been particularly extensive in response not only to competitiveness among cities but also to sustainability requirements in the cultural sector. In the same perspective of this approach, culture in its broadest sense assumes a decisive role in constructing a system of interventions where employment and social and sustainable development become the product of the integration of places, people, economies and traditions. Creative cities are currently working on how to improve the interaction between regeneration building, economic development and social renewal in order to achieve more comprehensive development of the city. Existing creative cities may be seen to revolve around the design, promotion and activation of urban areas established due to their particular local characteristics. Such areas become creative clusters as a result of economic and structural innovations, related to the realization of innovator projects achieved with the help of local development strategies based on the economies of excellence, culture and territorial quality. Starting from such premises, this article aims to show the main factors which condition creativity in cities – such as new policies, participation, history, place identity, cultural resources and sustainability – and an emblematic case study of creative regeneration. This concerns the HafenCity district in Hamburg, where the history has assumed an important role in re-constructing the maritime identity and for many choices of urban nature.     

西安城市复兴规划建设的启示

指出西安经过长期的建设实践探索,逐渐形成了特有的复兴建设思路。对西安城市复兴特点作进一步归纳分析,总结出西安城市复兴方面的“与古为新”、触媒发展、多样而持续这三个方面的重要启示。     

The ambiguity of urban renewal in France: Between continuity and rupture

The term urban renewal was introduced in France in the Loi solidarité et renouvellement urbains (Loi SRU) of December 13th, 2000. Until then, terms like renovation, reconstruction, recycling or refurbishment were used to indicate similar phenomena. Is the introduction of a new term only an innovation in vocabulary, or does it imply new orientations, conceptions and practices? It appears that ever since its introduction in 2000, the notion of urban renewal has been subject to variations in its meaning and in its implementation. A double regime of urban renewal exists. On the one hand, there are the operations officially labelled as urban renewal, which benefit from central state subsidies. These operations aim at a social urban development, and almost exclusively concern the so-called quartiers sensibles, large high-rise housing estates in the banlieus. On the other hand, there are more market-driven, locally initiated and realised operations of regeneration of derelict and run-down areas of the city.     

结合夹江旧城西片区改造谈城市活力的激发

以夹江旧城西片区改造为例,通过对旧城区整体结构把握、空间形态分析、景观视觉分析与景观完善等多方面的探讨,阐述了在改造中激发城区活力的具体过程,以保证城市健康良性的发展。     

New urban paradigm beyond the west: investigating the regeneration of urban villages in Guangzhou,China

This paper investigates the regeneration process of four urban villages in Guangzhou, China. It finds that the institutional dichotomy of the rural and urban systems in land ownership and planning management has not only rooted the emergence and proliferation of urban villages, but also obstructed their regeneration. The core of urban village regeneration is the redistribution of interest derived from land appreciation; the current regulatory framework has difficulties in accommodating this redistribution and alternative legislation is needed. Collaboration formed by some powerful stakeholders is proved to be essential for project completion, and this partnership formation has to some extent weakened the top-down single-actor planning mechanism, which has been the routine in socialist China for decades. The study identifies the dynamics of land regeneration, suggesting that there is no single universal prescribed form of land regeneration.     

城市更新中旧建筑再利用初探

通过对城市更新中旧建筑再利用的产生与发展历程的阐述，得出旧建筑再利用的必要性和其基本过程与理论方法，以期为我国城市更新旧建筑再利用的未来探索之路提供相关素材。     

基于城市形态与市民意识解析的地域环境更新设计模式

国内建筑学教育强调形态设计,在城市地域环境的层面上也突出以建筑空间塑造为核心的设计模式。发达国家经历了经济快速发展、大规模市政建设的阶段之后,开始注重市民的心理需求;在城市规划以及环境整治的过程中通过现场访谈、问卷调查来把握使用者的主观需求,进而在设计过程中具有针对性地加以改善。实践证明,这种将客观城市形态与市民主观意识结合起来的城市设计方法是一种值得借鉴的科学工作模式。     

中国城市更新的现况、特征及趋向

城市更新是世纪之交中国城市发展的研究主题之一。伴随中国进入工业化进程开始加速、经济结构发生明显变化、社会进行全方位深刻变革的关键时期 ,城市更新作为城市发展的调节机制亦正以空前的规模和速度在全国各地展开 ,进入了一个新的历史阶段。如何把握其主要矛盾、基本特征和发民趋势 ,制定适宜的城市更新政策 ,成为当前中国城市建设和发展的重要研究课题。本文围绕这些问题展开了分析和思考 ,并提出了一些建设性意见。     

Using strategic management practices to promote participatory democracy in Australian local government

Strategic management was introduced as a critical component of Australian local government reform during the 1990s. In addition to encouraging efficiency and effectiveness of operation, it was also intended to promote participatory democracy within local authorities. The paper explores the extent to which this objective has been achieved through an analysis of twenty-five New South Wales municipalities. Discussion concludes that while strategic management has enhanced community involvement in local governance, it cannot be a substitute for traditional democratic processes.     

Using strategic management practices to promote participatory democracy in Australian local government

Abstract

Strategic management was introduced as a critical component of Australian local government reform during the 1990s. In addition to encouraging efficiency and effectiveness of operation, it was also intended to promote participatory democracy within local authorities. The paper explores the extent to which this objective has been achieved through an analysis of twenty‐five New South Wales municipalities. Discussion concludes that while strategic management has enhanced community involvement in local governance, it cannot be a substitute for traditional democratic processes.