Members from across the North East came together for the first Renew Regeneration Site Tour. This was hosted by the North East Housing Partnership, offering a valuable opportunity to see how housing-led regeneration is transforming communities while also highlighting delivery challenges. The tour forms part of our Renew inquiry, which is explores how regeneration can drive growth, tackle the housing crisis and strengthen communities across the North. 

At Cleadon Park in South Shields, the visit demonstrated the long-term impact of sustained investment and strong partnership working. Once one of the most deprived areas in the country, the estate has been transformed by replacing more than 500 outdated homes with around 750 new properties.  A strong focus on community engagement has been central to this success, helping to improve wellbeing, opportunity and pride in the area.  

We also heard about plans for regeneration in Felling, to make sure the right homes are in place to complement other improvements to the town centre, including through Pride in Place funding. However, scheme viability is proving challenging, making it difficult to get much-needed new homes off the ground. 

The final visits to Bensham and Saltwell showed how innovative partnerships are unlocking development, with new, high-quality homes bringing long-vacant sites back into use and supporting more inclusive, sustainable communities. Development of social housing, including homes specifically tailored for the area’s orthodox Jewish community, have acted as a catalyst for development of further new homes for private sale, which are in high demand. This shows the economic and social value of replacing homes that no longer meet the needs of communities. 

Overall, the tour reinforced that housing-led regeneration can deliver lasting change, but greater support and investment will be critical to unlocking its full potential. We are conducting more tours across the North as part of our Renew work. To find out more visit the Renew website.   

Our Renew inquiry has launched a series of think-pieces from the North’s leading voices on regeneration. The collection sets the context for the Renew inquiry, looking at why regeneration is an essential part of tackling the housing crisis in the North.  

The articles share examples of best practice and partnership working, as well as covering the importance of resident voice in regeneration. Some of the articles look beyond the social housing sector into the private rented sector, and at community-led initiatives.  

Renew is an inquiry, led by the NHC and supported by Homes for the North and Muse, to explore how housing-led regeneration can deliver growth, help tackle the housing crisis, and strengthen communities across the North.  

Publication of the ‘Perspectives on Regeneration’ follows the Renew Call for Evidence, which closed at the end of February. The response received from housing associations and local authorities who submitted evidence represents over 70% of the North’s social housing. The perspectives series aims to set the tone for Renew and encourage conversations, collaboration and debate about housing-led regeneration, while the Call for Evidence submissions are analysed.  

Northern Housing Chief Executive Tracy Harrison said:  

“I’m so grateful to everyone who has contributed to the perspectives on regeneration collection. It has been fantastic working with such a range of voices. This collection sets out what we want to achieve through Renew, the case for regeneration in the North, alongside some inspiring examples of people-centred housing-led regeneration. I hope the perspectives will definitively reset the narrative and change perceptions of regeneration.” 

Chair of Homes for North Paul Fiddaman said:  

“Housing-led regeneration has the potential to transform communities and turn ambition into real, longterm change for people and places. Our research has identified 80 strategic regeneration projects across the North that could deliver around 43,000 homes and unlock £5.2 billion in investment. 

With the right investment — and partners pulling in the same direction — we can improve existing homes, deliver the new affordable housing the region needs, and build thriving communities across the North” 

Managing Director of national placemaker Muse Phil Mayall said:  

“Regeneration has a vital role to play in tackling the housing challenge across the North, not just by delivering new homes, but by strengthening existing communities and creating places where people want to live and stay. 

“These perspectives highlight the importance of long-term partnership, local leadership and community voice in delivering lasting value for places, ensuring no one and nowhere is left behind.”  

The perspectives series is available on the Renew website and includes the following articles: 

Tracy Harrison, Chief Executive of the Northern Housing Consortium: Laying firm foundations for better lives and Northern growth 

Tracy explains how the Renew inquiry is an essential part of the NHC’s vision that everyone has a safe, warm home that’s affordable to them in a place they’re proud of.  

Lord Best OBE DL, an independent Crossbench Member of the House of Lords and Chair of the Renew inquiry: A path to renew thousands of homes – and lives – across the North  

Lord Best shares why he is chairing the Renew inquiry. He wants to make sure there is full recognition of the case for improving the lives of those living in highly unsatisfactory homes and environments – alongside developing new homes.   

Regeneration specialist Ed Ferrari: The challenge for Renew  

Ed challenges Renew to build a compelling case for housing-led regeneration by highlighting the social, economic and political benefits, learning from the past and identifying specific challenges in the North.    

Paul Fiddaman, Chair of Homes for the North and Group Chief Executive of Karbon Homes: Regeneration means more and better homes 

Paul shares Homes for the North’s findings about the need for and benefits of housing-led regeneration in the North. He discusses how regeneration complements development of new homes, and ways regeneration can be supported at scale.   

Phil Mayall, Managing Director at national place maker Muse: Working together to deliver regeneration 

Phil looks at the ingredients needed to make regeneration a success including partnership working and community trust built through delivering visible results.   

Charlie Norman, Chief Executive of MSV Housing and Chair of the Northern Housing Consortium and Nick Atkin, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Housing: The opportunity of devolution 

Charlie and Nick believe that that devolution offers a massive opportunity. They argue a dedicated, locally administered funding pot for housing regeneration would be transformative. It would allow regions to target investment where it will have the greatest impact and drive long term regeneration 

Andrew Cooper MP for Mid Cheshire,Chair of the Renew Westminster Group and member of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee: Regeneration means delivering for northern communities

Andrew Cooper MP for sets out how housing-led regeneration gives Government the opportunity to connect national objectives – growth, opportunity, and fairness – with the everyday places where people live their lives.  

Pat Ritchie, Chair of Homes England: Housing-led regeneration as a driver of delivery and growth

Pat shares how Homes England is ready to work as part of strong partnerships to bring confidence and long-term change to areas. 

Dr Michael Birkett, Chief Executive of the Regenda Group: Grove Street and the case for housing-led renewal 

Dr Michael shares learning from Liverpool’s Grove Street regeneration project. He says regeneration is about more than replacing old homes, it’s about renewing opportunity, restoring pride and building the conditions for long-term prosperity.  

Cedric Boston, Chief Executive Officer of Unity Homes and Enterprise: Putting people at the heart of Renew 

Cedric shares a different approach to regeneration talking about how Unity’s two main divisions, Unity Housing and Unity Enterprise, work together to provide a launchpad for people to transform their life chances. 

Lara Joyce, Secretary of the Gleadless Valley Tenants and Residents Association: Rebuilding trust, connection and ambition in Gleadless Valley

Lara shares how a ‘Resident Power’ approach to the regeneration of Gleadless Valley has built trust and established an important community role in the future of the area. 

Adam Costello, Magenta Customer Community Committee Member: Listening, learning, and leading: putting residents at the heart of social housing regeneration

 Adam shares key principles for Renew to make sure improving homes and neighbourhoods is truly community-led. 

Carla Keegans, Housing Consultant: The essential role of the PRS in regenerating the North  

Carla shares her views on issues in the private rented sector, and why the sector must be at front of mind when planning regeneration. Carla founded The Ethical Lettings Agency in Redcar in Teeside in 2015.  

Paula Graves, Community-Led Housing Manager: Community-led regeneration in East Marsh 

Paula sets out how East Marsh in Grimsby has been transformed by residents through a community-led movement.  

The next steps for Renew include publication of an interim report in the summer, which will analyse responses to the Call for Evidence, and a series of tours visiting regeneration sites across the North.  

To find out more about Renew and to read the perspectives visit the Renew website.  

The NHC’s inquiry on housing-led regeneration, supported by Homes for the North and Muse, is gathering pace with the Call for Evidence set to launch at the Northern Housing Summit, and meetings with advisory groups happening now.  

Lord Best OBE DL will chair the inquiry and its advisory group, who met for the first time this week. The advisory group is made up of a mix of housing association chief executives, local and regional government regeneration specialists, policy experts and academics.   

At the first meeting group members fed back on the overarching aims of the inquiry and discussed the Call for Evidence. Director of the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University Ed Ferrari updated the group about the research he is doing which will set the scene for the project and analyse the evolving context of regeneration in the North. The work will set out the longstanding challenges and concerns the inquiry will grapple with, as well as the emerging importance of devolution, sustainability, and community cohesion and belonging.  

This followed an NHC member roundtable with senior officials at the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government. The meeting was used to discuss and improve knowledge of the northern-specific challenge of regeneration as well as to explore how housing led regeneration can contribute to the national drive for growth and stronger communities.   Insight from the meeting will be used as part of the inquiry’s commitment to identifying how the Northern social housing sector can play a role in the Government’s policy programme in this Parliament. 

Next week, the inquiry Westminster Group will meet for the first time. Over the course of the inquiry they will have quarterly meetings to hear evidence and testimonials first hand, as well as offer insight and guidance.  

The Northen Housing Summit on 12th November will provide the stage for the launch of the inquiry Call for Evidence, which help capture the views of the social housing sector in the North. The Summit will also include a session “Beyond 1.5m homes: Once in a (re)generation?” where MHCLG’s Director for New Towns, Infrastructure and Housing Delivery Cathy Francis, Sheffield City Council Director of Housing Services James Clark, NHC Executive Director of Policy and External Relations Patrick Murray, Onward Chief Executive and Chair of Homes for North Bronwen Rapley, and Interim Chair of Homes England Pat Richie will discuss the balance between building new homes, and regenerating the North’s communities, and how the two agendas can reinforce each other. 

You can find more and book your place the Northern Housing Summit here.  

If you would like to find out more about the regeneration inquiry please contact Senior Engagement Manager (Devolution and Place Lead) Liam Gregson.