Urban Regeneration Book Launch at LSBU

Neither two major strikes in London (university lecturers and the underground) nor terrible weather could dampen a highly productive public seminar and book launch at the Clarence Centre, LSBU last night (6 February). The new book is The Routledge Companion to Urban Regeneration http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415539043/

co-edited by Dr Michael E Leary (LSBU) and Dr John McCarthy (Heriot Watt University) of which one reviewer said, “With international scholarship and case studies from every continent, this Companion is destined to be an essential reference for anyone interested in urban regeneration” (Prof Yvonne Rydin, UCL). Speakers and attendees battled against the odds through massive transport disruption to make it to the event. A range of people attended the event: urban regeneration policy makers and practitioners, academics, LSBU students, and LSBU alumni. Many commented after the event how much they had enjoyed it, finding it informative, interesting and stimulating. Prof Tracey Reynolds opened the event followed by Michael Leary who outlined his new definition of ‘aspirational regeneration’, centred on the needs of local people in areas suffering various forms of disadvantage. He went on to reveal seven principles for the achievement of genuine aspirational urban regeneration (see them here: https://medium.com/p/9114c98e00be). Other speakers provided the audience with telling insights into: regeneration expertise, values and interests in Tower Hamlets (Prof Michael Keith, Oxford University); the social and environmental impacts of the 2012 Olympics (Michelle Moore, Moore Development Consultancy); and lessons from regeneration in England over the last 30 years (Prof Peter Tyler, Cambridge University. Prof Nick Bailey (Westminster University) chaired. http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/regeneration. Interestingly, all the speakers highlighted the genuine urban regeneration in Britain and elsewhere over the last 10 years, i.e. in the teeth of a globalised neo-liberal dominated world. That said, they did not hold back from expressing appropriate criticism.

A lively panel discussion ensued with some provocative questions from the floor. One memorable question was, “is regeneration a dirty word?” In similarly provocative vein, Michael Leary declared, urban regeneration means exactly what I say it means, no more no less. Michael Keith provoked many to scratch their head when he declared tentatively, that perhaps we need rather down pressed and downtrodden areas of cities, where rents are cheap and newcomers to the city find a welcome and accommodation within their means. David Phoenix (LSBU VC) was in attendance and pronounced the event a great success.