The Process

key to colour coding

Context

Reinvigorate concept devised by BURA. The idea was to bring together representatives of ‘local’ and ‘outside’ expertise who would not normally meet to explore and work collaboratively on the physical, social and economic challenges facing real places.

A one day themed event was envisaged with scene-setting presentations, structured study tours, facilitated workshops, panel feedback, and a final debate.

A shortlist of possible locations and themes was drawn up to pilot the approach and two neighbourhoods in Bristol – Filwood and St Paul’s – were selected with a focus on creating successful, mixed income urban communities; a theme of national current interest.

The Bristol Reinvigorate pilot event took place on 20 March 2007. A reconnaissance to plan the event took place almost one year earlier (3 April 2006).

Other pilot events were organised by BURA in Belfast (26 June 2006) and Tottenham, London (30 April 2007).

Filwood neighbourhood:

• 1920s residential ‘cottage’ estates with high levels of social deprivation.
• New business and leisure parks recently constructed nearby serving the wider city.
• Potential for increase of housing density identified within Regional Sustainable Communities Plan.

St Paul’s neighbourhood:

• Inner city neighbourhood with longstanding ethnic mix, facing a range of challenges including drugs and crime, loss of employment land, lack of family housing and some key problem sites.
• Mainly Georgian terrace housing with a 1960s housing estate and pockets of commercial property.
• Strong community spirit channelled through St Paul’s Unlimited
• Commitment from Knightstone Housing Association (KHA) to improve mix of tenure (introducing the first shared ownership units) and size (restoring subdivided houses to family accommodation).
• Much previous consultation on a Neighbourhood Plan but still some outstanding issues including implementation.

The Bristol Reinvigorate pilot event took place on 20 March 2007.

Outcomes -

• Compilation of comprehensive listing of challenges and opportunities of each neighbourhood as perceived by insiders and outsiders.


• Useful insights on future direction in both neighbourhoods provided by participants and panellists.


• Stimulating and educational day for all participants.


• Lessons learnt on the Reinvigorate process.

Outcomes - Shortcomings

• Process not documented adequately or fast enough.
• Range of discussions and problems tackled possibly too broad.
• Lack of mechanisms for following up on outcomes, either locally or nationally.

Parties involved

British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA)
organiser
www.bura.org.uk

Bristol City Council
host, panel members
www.bristol.gov.uk

Urban Splash
host, panel members
www.urbansplash.co.uk

Knightstone Housing Association
host, panel members
www.knightstone.co.uk

The Bristol Partnership
Panel members
www.bristolpartnership.org

South West Regional Development Agency
Panel member
www.southwestrda.org.uk

Local community organisations
Workshop participants

Nick Wates, Nick Wates Associates
Facilitator – Filwood
www.nickwates.co.uk

Tony Trott, Effective Social Inventions
Facilitator – St Paul’s
www.esi-consulting.co.uk

Funding and resources

Event sponsored by:

• Bristol City Council
• Urban Splash
• Knightstone HA

Costs limited to organisation of the one-day event: venue hire, transport, printing, facilitation, refreshments. Similar to costs for a conference but no income from participants who attended free.

none

Quotes

"It was great to work with a multi-disciplinary team on a real issue"

Participant at Tottenham Reinvigorate event

"An interesting opportunity for peer group discussion"

Participant at Tottenham Reinvigorate event

"The day was a complete success and has done ‘what it said on the tin’; reinvigorated"

Participant at Belfast Reinvigorate event

Reviews

none provided

Contacts

British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA)
63-66 Hatton Garden
London
EC1N 8LE

www.bura.org.uk

Bristol contact (to come)