The Top 10 UK Regeneration Hotspots in 2021

Where better to start on our list than perhaps one of the greatest UK regeneration success stories and UK regeneration hotspots? The European Capital of Culture in 2008, Liverpool has been transformed over the last two decades, thanks to billions of pounds pumped into the local economy.

Liverpool is undoubtedly one of the best UK regeneration areas and there have been so many UK regeneration projects in the city that it deserves a list of its own.

Regeneration in the UK has transformed many places and Liverpool is almost unrecognizable from even a decade ago. The first significant project was undoubtedly Liverpool ONE, which transformed the city centre and created a commercial hub. Costing a staggering £960 million, the shopping centre was launched in 2008 and rivals any UK shopping centre.

Liverpool City Centre used to be drab and dull, but a wave of investment has attracted some of the biggest retailers and designer brands to Liverpool’s streets. An improvement in transport links also followed, with the integration of a large bus station. Liverpool ONE is often credited as the catalyst for Liverpool’s miraculous growth.

Out of all the UK regions, the North West seems to be doing the best. Another city that could warrant a list of its own, Manchester has also seen its fair share of mammoth UK regeneration projects and UK urban regeneration projects. Alongside Liverpool, it is another example of the top UK regeneration areas and UK regeneration hotspots.

One of Manchester’s most famous UK regeneration initiatives is undoubtedly Spinningfields. One of the most famous regeneration projects in the UK, the project has spanned three decades and has totalled around £1.5 billion.

The regeneration has been so expansive that it essentially added an entirely new area to Manchester’s sprawling metropolis. Spinningfields is now the heart of Manchester and is home to well over 150 world-class financial and commercial organizations- it is no surprise the area has been dubbed the North’s Canary Wharf.

Named after a narrow back street in Deansgate, the area used to be a decrepit college campus and is now one of the UK’s top regional business quarters. Work continues still in the area, too. In 2018, a new restaurant opened on the rooftop of 1 Spinningfields tower.

Called 20 stories due to the fact it sits 20 storeys high, the tower is 302 ft high and is the tallest office building built in Manchester since 1962. Spinningfields tower is the last piece of the Spinningfields puzzle, yet there will undoubtedly be further work in the future.

According to research by Glide, Birmingham was in the top three regeneration hotspots along with Liverpool and Manchester. With 15,708 empty dwellings, there is ample room for regeneration in the area. Birmingham is another example of how good regeneration in the UK can be and is undoubtedly one of many UK regeneration hotspots.

One of the top regeneration projects UK and an example of the most famous regeneration projects in the UK is Birmingham’s Big City Plan, which will help see the City Centre grow. This local plan encompasses the headline project, the HS2 development. HS2 or High Speed 2 is a planned high-speed railway that will span the United Kingdom and will link many UK regions.

It will link London, the Midlands, the North, and Scotland with over 25 stations and connect around 30 million people. HS2 has meant that regeneration in UK cities can come at a much faster rate.

HS2 will come to Birmingham in the form of Curzon Street Station, the first new intercity terminus station built in Britain since the 19th century. Alongside the travel benefits, it will bring (it will take 41 minutes to reach Manchester rather than the current time of 87 minutes), HS2 will also act as a catalyst for further investment.

Birmingham City Council predicts the development potential in areas such as Eastside and Digbeth will lead to the creation of 36,000 jobs, 4,000 new residential property, 600,000 sqm of employment space, and £1.4bn economic uplifts.

Another Northern place on this list, this Yorkshire city is seeing some colossal regeneration schemes that will radically change the area. Appearing at number four on the top 10 cities with most regeneration opportunities, Glide found that 12,859 empty dwellings are waiting for investment. Leeds City Council is certainly taking notice of this, with several ambitious projects in the pipeline.

The main project on the horizon is the South Bank Leeds regeneration project. Claiming to be the most significant change the city has seen in over 100 years, over 250 hectares of land are set to be regenerated south of the River Aire. To put this in perspective, that is the equivalent of 350 football pitches being regenerated, which will nearly double the size of Leeds city centre. It is estimated the project will create over 35,000 jobs and over 8,000 homes.

Along with this, Leeds General Infirmary is set to see a £450 million cash injection with the building of two brand new hospitals. The plans for state-of-the-art adult and children’s healthcare facilities have been described as transformational and phenomenal. The new facilities will provide 92,000 square metres of health care space spanning 15 storeys. Part of the NHS’s Hospitals of the Future Programme, the scheme has received government backing and has access to a share of a £2.7 billion pot.

Just like their Yorkshire neighbour, Bradford has also seen a wealth of investment. With an estimated population of over 530,000, the city was 5th in the list of areas with the most regeneration opportunities, with many vacant commercial space. Urban regeneration in the UK is incredibly high right now, and places like Bradford are showing how important it can be.

Regeneration in UK regions like Yorkshire is vital, and there are currently 15 projects in the pipeline. After sending off a planning application, Bradford secured a £52.6 million pot from the Government’s £900 million Getting Building Fund, allowing many projects to start their development process. Described as integral to the West Yorkshires economy, the schemes will create 2,300 new jobs and safeguard a further 500.

There are many regeneration areas in the UK, but perhaps an unexpected entry on this list is Bracknell. With a population size of around 120,000, the town has seen staggering investment levels, with the town centre being transformed into a vibrant site thanks to a multimillion-pound project.

The town started with a modest investment, with a £6 million Waitrose store on Bond Way in 2011. Fast forward six years later, Bracknell was transformed with the completion of The Lexicon, a state-of-the-art £240 million shopping centre. With the opening of 70 new retail and food stores, a 12-screen cinema, and two 80,000 sq. ft stores housing Fenwick and Marks and Spencer, Bracknell was catapulted into one of the UK’s top regeneration hotspots.

The Lexicon also offered 3,800 car spaces with new and upgraded car parks. This regeneration in the town has been noticed nationally, winning many accolades such as the Development of the Year at the Thames Valley Property Awards 2018.

Located south of Newcastle upon Tyne, this city was number six in Glide’s list, with 8,903 vacant properties. The city has seen plenty of investment over the years and has been transformed from a “sleepy cathedral city” into a thriving nightlife and leisure location.

Undoubtedly the most prominent project, the £150m Milburngate redevelopment, is making headlines for its ambitious plans. Described as a waterside transformation in Durham’s Northern Quarter, these plans will see new luxury apartments built on the former site of a passport office. Located near the River Wear, the area is also set to feature offices, restaurants, and bars. Town centres will no doubt thrive with investment such as this.

Overall, the site spans 450,000 sq ft of mixed-use space, with 60,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space, 230,000 sq ft of office space, 600 car spaces, and 153 luxury apartments. There is also set to be a flagship 92-bed Premier Inn hotel.

It looks like Durham may soon become the best place for an evening out in the North East and is another example on this list of urban regeneration in the UK.

The third Yorkshire city on this list, the area has suffered heavily as a consequence of industrial changes. Like many northern areas, though, funds are starting to be funnelled into the region to see the area thrive.

In one of the biggest council-led redevelopment schemes, the flagship redevelopment plan involves a massive £1.5billion investment. The project will see the Sheaf Valley area wholly transformed. Plans include moving a dual carriageway and demolishing the Park Square roundabout.

The site will then be revitalized with new offices, leisure facilities, and public spaces. There will be a pedestrian bridge added to the area and up to 12 office blocks, which has been predicted to employ 3,000 people. There will also be up to 1,000 flats and new homes.

The plan is set to span two decades, but progress has already been made with Godwin Developments announcing plans to build 300 high-end flats, which is expected to create 200 construction jobs and 30 more permanent roles.

There is also the Heart of the City 2 plan to consider. This will provide £470m for new hotels, shops, and public spaces for the area around Pinstone Street. Overall, this will cover around 1.5 million sq ft, and work is touted to be finished by 2024.

In the South West lies our final entry on this list. Transport links in Bristol city are set to receive a much-needed overhaul, along with housing projects and enterprise projects that will help the local economy boom.

Coming from Bristol city council, the main project to look out for is the Bristol Temple Quarter redevelopment plan. The comprehensive plan is set to completely revitalize Bristol with new offices and research and learning spaces for the University of Bristol. A mixed-use residential scheme is also in the pipeline, which aims to supply 371 new homes.

Finally, plans aim to help students of all ages. There will be a new secondary school and sixth form developed by the Department for Education, containing 1,600 places. Accommodation for 693 students will also be built. The project is set to cost £375m for the first ten years and create 4,335 jobs.