Urban regeneration of former industrial cities. A cure or a curse? The case of Ancoats conservation area in Manchester, England

The anxiety to reverse the economic and socio-spatial degradation of deindustrialisation in Europe gave rise to a multitude of urban regeneration schemes. Urban regeneration practice has been at the centre of academic and political debate, characterised either as redemption or a chimera for the future of European cities. This paper revisits the topic, aiming to give an objective image of the nature of urban regeneration in the current socio-political system. Focusing on Ancoats in Manchester, we will explore the socio-spatial merits and pitfalls of urban regeneration schemes in the last three decades. We will argue that urban regeneration can have distinct implications on the social and spatial urban fabric, depending on the power balance of the stakeholders involved. The results of the research enrich the scientific discourse on the topic whilst offering lessons for future cases aiming at preserving a social, cultural and spatial balance.