Renew visits Hull and East Riding to see large-scale renewal built on local heritage 

Renew visited Hull and East Riding to explore how housing-led regeneration is transforming places, from modern sheltered accommodation and large-scale neighbourhood renewal to ambitious waterfront regeneration that will shape the future of the city. 

Hosted by the Hull and East Yorkshire Housing Partnership, the visit showcased a range of regeneration projects that demonstrate how investment in housing-led regeneration can support economic growth, strengthen communities and unlock the potential of underused sites. 

In his welcome, Patrick Murray, Executive Director (Policy and External Relations) at the NHC, highlighted the purpose of the Renew Inquiry: to explore how housing-led regeneration can help tackle the housing crisis, drive growth and ensure no community is left behind. 

The first stop was Moat Hill in Anlaby, part of East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s sheltered housing regeneration programme. Led by Holly Hastie, James Townend and Ashley Sykes, attendees heard how the Council is replacing an outdated 1970s sheltered housing scheme with a modern development designed around the needs of residents of different ages and needs. 

The new scheme will provide 34 accessible, energy-efficient apartments incorporating digital telecare technology, improved communal facilities and adaptable homes that support independent living. The project demonstrates how regeneration can improve housing quality while helping people remain connected to their communities and live independently for longer. 

The scheme has been approved within the council’s capital programme, with a total allocated budget of £12.7m. Funding for the development will be provided through a combination of rental income, commuted sums, and a contribution of £3.6m from Homes England Grant Funding. 

The tour then moved to the Amy Johnson development in West Hull, led by Tom Evans from Hull City Council. The redevelopment of the former school site has been a central part of the wider regeneration of the Newington and St Andrew’s area in West Hull, one of Hull’s most significant neighbourhood renewal programmes. 

Over two decades, the wider project has seen around 2,000 homes demolished, 2,000 existing homes refurbished and more than 1,425 new homes delivered. Working collaboratively, Hull City Council and Keepmoat Homes secured £8 million of gap funding to support delivery and unlock the wider regeneration of the area. Alongside new housing, the programme has generated significant economic benefits, creating jobs and apprenticeships for the local community while helping to change perceptions of the area through high-quality design and investment in public spaces. 

The final part of the visit focused on Hull’s waterfront, starting in the Fruit Market, where Aiden Lesser-Moor, Hull City Council showcased one of the UK’s most successful examples of urban waterfront regeneration. 

Once a neglected industrial area at the heart of Hull’s wholesale fruit and vegetable trade, the Fruit Market has been transformed into a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood. Historic buildings have been restored and repurposed, while new homes, workspaces, independent businesses, cultural venues and high-quality public spaces have brought new life to the area. The project demonstrates how regeneration can build on local heritage, creating places where people want to live, work and spend time. 

Attendees also heard about plans for East Bank Urban Village from Raife Gale, Muse, a major residential-led regeneration scheme that represents the next phase of Hull’s transformation. Delivered through a partnership between Hull City Council and ECF (a partnership between Muse, Legal and General, and L&Q), East Bank is expected to provide up to 850 new homes alongside commercial space, public realm improvements, community facilities and green infrastructure. 

Located on a prominent brownfield waterfront site, the development will reconnect underused land with the city centre and surrounding regeneration areas, creating a new mixed-use neighbourhood that reflects Hull’s maritime heritage while meeting future housing and sustainability needs. The scheme also demonstrates the importance of long-term partnerships and investment in delivering complex regeneration projects at scale. 

The visit brought to life many of the themes identified through the Renew Inquiry, including the opportunities around brownfield regeneration, neighbourhood renewal and the growth of town and city centres. It also highlighted the importance of partnership working, patient investment and resident engagement in delivering successful regeneration. 

Patrick Murray, Executive Director (Policy and External Relations) at the NHC said: 

“Throughout the tour, the role of the local authority, public sector, and social housing came through as the critical piece of the puzzle in derisking places in which the private sector would not invest. Through taking the first step, social housing and councils can change the market conditions and create new demand and unlock future phases and attract private investment.

Fundamentally the vision and ambition of local leaders has been underpinned with a can-do attitude and a clear-eyed understanding of how regeneration requires long-term certainty, and an ability to lever in whatever help can be mustered to make schemes stack up. At times, Government ambition has met the test, at other times it hasn’t. But the faith never wavered and Hull and East Yorkshire is better for it.” 

Thank you to the Hull and East Yorkshire Housing Partnership, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Hull City Council, Muse and everyone involved in hosting a valuable day that will help inform the Renew Inquiry’s work on housing-led regeneration for northern growth. 

 

 

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Regeneration lessons in Greater Manchester

The Greater Manchester Housing Partnership hosted the Renew project in the last of our series of study visits.  

The day started with the Great North Regeneration Debate. This was hosted by Great Places at the People’s History Museum, the venue in which Andy Burham recently outlined his vision for the UK before taking up the reigns as Prime Minister. 

Chief executive of Great Places Alison Dean introduced and summarised the debate. The discussion was chaired by Cavandish’s Sean Fielding, who is also Bolton Council’s Cabinet member for Adults and Community Housing. On the panel was Catherine Birks, Senior Director at CBRE UK, Ibby Ismail, Board Member and customer of MSV Housing, Phil Mayall, Managing Director of Muse and Ed Ferrari, Director Mosodi.  

The conversation centred on how regeneration can support the Government’s growth agenda, tackle the housing crisis and create places where people can thrive. It covered the impact of devolution, the long-term nature of regeneration and why we need to challenge economic orthodoxy to bring hope to places. A key theme throughout was the need to work alongside communities from the outset to achieve consensus on regeneration plans. The event also shone a spotlight on the Renew Inquiry and its recommendations for driving growth, improving housing and strengthening communities across the North. 

After the debate Renew advisory group members travelled to Irwell Valley Housing offices for a working lunch to discuss the next steps with the inquiry. This included the #Renew the North campaign in the run up to the Autumn Budget and community engagement research. 

After lunch the group was joined by other stakeholders including Chair of the Renew Westminster Group Andrew Cooper MP and colleagues from Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The first stop on the tour was Sale West in Trafford, a long-term housing-led regeneration programme running from 2020 to 2027. The vision for the £50 million masterplan is to deliver 263 new homes, enhance green spaces and biodiversity, and improve 1,100 existing homes. 

Chief Executive of Irwell Valley Homes Sasha Deepwell explained how investment in community facilities, allotments, play areas and activities and initiatives delivered through a community café have strengthened social connection, reduced isolation and improved wellbeing. 

The group was joined by Ralph Redden, Chair of the Sale West resident group, who explained when the Radburn design estate was built it was billed as the “jewel in the crown of Manchester Borough Housing.” However, by the time it was transferred to Irwell Valley Homes in 2000 it was very much a tarnished jewel. Reflecting on the recent improvements he said: “now it’s been polished and is once again a sparkling jewel.” 

Ralph’s assessment of success is also strongly backed by figures. In the 2019 Index of Multiple Deprivation the estate ranked within the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods nationally and was identified in the Trafford Core Strategy as a Priority Regeneration Area. By 2025, the area had moved to being ranked within to within the top 30% of most deprived neighbourhoods, indicating reduced deprivation and better access to housing and services. This is a significant improvement, which the regeneration activity will have played a big part in.  

The project has only been possible due Irwell’s Valley Homes’ willingness to pool funding from different pots, including Homes England, Brownfield Land and Levelling Up funding to start work on the project before all funding was confirmed. The estate is surrounded by more affluent areas, prompting discussion about how it can be challenging to secure funding to address pockets of deprivation in more affluent areas. The discussion concluded that this type of project will only be possible on a larger scale if long term dedicated regeneration funding is introduced. 

Next stop was Moss Side where MSV Chief Executive and Chair of the NHC Charlie Norman and MSV colleagues shared details of ongoing regeneration work in Moss Side. The includes a mix of building new homes on brownfield sites, improving existing homes and investing in community projects. The team talked about Positive Futures, which supports residents to develop skills for employment, the Blunt Truth, an initiative to prevent knife crime, and the Brotherhood Peace garden, a welcoming space where people feel connected, supported and proud of their community.  

The site of the old Reno nightclub on Princess Road, which has been vacant for many years, is next on the list to develop. The scheme will provide 212 new social and affordable homes for people local to the Moss Side, including some homes deigned for older people and wheelchair users. There is a strong focus on protecting local heritage, creating more green spaces and embedding social value throughout the development and the wider community. 

MSV and partners at Manchester City Council consulted local residents and businesses, including the neighbouring West Indian Sports & Social Club. Their feedback has been incorporated into plans. This includes adjusting the layout of the scheme and reducing the number of homes proposed.

MSV hope to be on site with this scheme as soon as possible but are experiencing delays due to complications with purchasing a derelict building which sits on the site. Funding can only be confirmed once land ownership has been finalised, leaving MSV balancing considerable financial risk, and pausing other regeneration activity while this issue is resolved.  

This visit has shown that regeneration can be done for and with communities. However for these types of project to be done on a bigger scale, so the social and economic benefits reach more people, dedicated funding for housing-led regeneration is essential.  

 

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Renew visits Scarborough: Housing at the Heart of Coastal Regeneration

Joined by our Chair, Lord Best, #Renew visited Scarborough, a regeneration priority for the North Yorkshire Council, designated the country’s first coastal Mayoral Development Zone by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, and part of the Government’s Pride in Place programme. 

Nick Atkin, Chief Executive, Yorkshire Housing and Chair, York and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership, talked about the work of the Yorkshire and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership, and the launch of their Affordable Homes Standard in 2025, a pioneering approach setting clear expectations for the quality and design of homes delivered through planning agreements with developers. Developed with housing providers, local authorities, and the Combined Authority, it covers energy efficiency, space, accessibility and long-term performance, helping ensure homes are built to a consistent standard and avoid future retrofit issues. The standard has been extended to cover the quality standard for all social and affordable rented homes across the region. 

Nick made the point that coastal and rural housing is the Cinderella of regeneration, behind the beauty masks a whole set of deep-rooted issues as well as opportunities… and when the vision and the funding come together you can really make a difference.  

Led by Helen Jackson and Hannah Heinemann, we saw various sites including Scarborough Train Station gateway, the Stephen Joseph Theatre, and former Brunswick Shopping Centre. Through investment in the public realm and funding from the Pride in Place programme, a ‘Station to the Shore’ corridor will be created mixing leisure and hospitality that will encourage more people to live, work, and spend time in the town centre.   

We then moved onto Eastborough, highlighting Scarborough Old Town. The group discussed a variety of issues, from the impact of holiday lets to anti-social behaviour and the PRS. At Beyond Housing’s East Mount Flats, Richard Cooper, Head of Asset Management, Beyond Housing talked about the viability challenges around the cost of remedial works needed for buildings that are in high demand.   

Travelling to near-by Eastfield, the group visited the Construction Skills Training Village, housed on an old farm site, which has made a huge impact providing education and training across sustainable methods of construction. The site has changed ownership and will be opening again in September, offering the only construction skills provision in the area. 

Attendees also saw Sandcastles, a Later Living development which formed part of the wider Eastfield regeneration investment plan, led by Teresa Snaith. The development consists of a mix of 2 and 3 bedroom bungalows, cottage apartments and a few two storey houses, all designed to promote a safe and secure environment and to create a sense of community for likeminded people wishing to live and age well in their retirement years. 

Thank you to the York and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership, and the North Yorkshire Council for an interesting day that was incredibly valuable to the Renew Inquiry. 

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