Regeneration Is Making A Strong Regional Mark

This is an article by our Editor Helen DuvalRegional redevelopments are expected to completely transform city centre areas over the next few years. This positive up-turn has occurred due to the desire by many to live in Britain’s largest cities.This growth pattern is set to rise as large-scale regeneration projects continue to encourage multi-purpose occupancy. This new generational style of living is providing simpler lifestyles for those who no longer consider suburban living as the ultimate ‘must have’.Empty and dilapidated buildings have seen striking redevelopments across cities such as Birming-ham, Leeds, Bristol and Edinburgh, as regional city regeneration attracts investors and there’s more to come. Times are clearly changing and offering greater opportunities for both business and lifestyle opportunities.The focus is improved work-life balance across many of the regional cities with projects such as Birmingham’s £1.5 billion Smithfield development set to create more than 2,000 new homes, with leisure facilities, parks and a new area dedicated to the old Bull Ring Markets; all of which is set to overhaul the city centre.Further north, deserted factories will be replaced by high rise living in Leeds, while Manchester’s £200m plans for the transformation of the old Boddington’s brewery site has now been approved. A new skyscraper that houses a 5* hotel, luxury apartments, a synagogue, offices and a roof garden will soon dominate the skyline in St.Michaels. Close-by Manchester there is set to be a ‘Stockport Revo-lution’ with around £1bn invested in the town as well as a new hub and transport interchange with a two-acre park on top.Combining office space with residential areas reinvigorates city centre living and its an area that has such potential for this sector. When it comes to product performance and stunning aesthetics, urban regeneration continues to evolve into a successful arena where architects and specifiers can blend the best of both worlds and inspire investment.Examining climate change and reduced carbon emissions in relation to buildings is continuing to dominate. Modern apartments where energy efficiency and a reduced carbon footprint must be key considerations, in this new era of evolving high rise buildings.Providing high performance materials and aesthetic choice are just two of the key elements that should be brought together to create successful urban regeneration projects in the UK. Everyone dis-cusses performance and margins but varying styles and design disciplines are also important to un-derstand.When it comes to climate change, city planners have an important role to play as inner city develop-ments must adapt to its effects with buildings making such huge contributions to an area’s carbon emissions.Regeneration can really improve employment opportunities and better quality of living in previously undesirable inner city areas. Investors and businesses can get more for their money as skilled workers are inspired to enjoy the benefits of ‘London life’ without the exorbitant price tags.The next generation of skilled workers are less interested in driving with a desire for healthy options of walking to work over rush hour chaos. For a business looking to inspire employees, easy access to work gives them considerable advantages, with millennials impressed by the revitalised images that a new inner city life offers.For developers in the meantime, it all comes down to co-operation and alliances which will give local communities and new businesses better opportunities that work for everyone.