CONTEXT

The historic urban core is a striking feature of many towns and cities. It is also an asset for their economic and social renaissance. The regeneration process possess a number of issues, which are common to many cities.

The first is the demographic and residential changes of the core areas. More affluent residents move out thus creating a decline in population, a higher concentration of social problems and a high number of vacant and un-kept properties. Some historic cores have reversed the trend through gentrification - the side effect being a radical shake-up of the social structure of the area.

A second set of issues relate to finding appropriate uses for old buildings in historic cores. The re-use of existing buildings results in difficulties in reconciling the requirements of the new uses to the historic value of the building - what level of interventions could be permitted? High renovation and maintenance costs of historic buildings could compromise the economic viability of the regeneration projects. New interventions need to reflect the time when they are built and concurrently be compatible with the historic context within which they are located.

More often than not, urban regeneration is constrained by the property market combined with inadequate instruments for public agencies to intervene and facilitate regeneration. Declining image and reduced investment by both public and private sectors result in a downward spiral. Commitment at the highest political level is required to reverse the downward spiral and use public funding as leverage to promote private investment.

Thirdly, unless there is good transport policy and effective traffic management, increased activity from regeneration will result in increased traffic impact thus undermining the regeneration effort.

The sense of context and character are constraints but should be underlined to provide the best possible results : industrial uses in ports and along riverfronts have declined resulting in under-utilised and unsightly water-fronts. Economically, historic cores can be both a liability as well as an opportunity depending on the way they are handled; the difficulties and costs involved make these areas a liability; on the other hand, appropriate presentation of the historic core can turn it into a tourist and leisure attraction thus resulting in income generation and further investment in the urban core. Effective urban management is of particular importance for historic areas, not least because of constraints resulting from street layouts, historic buildings, higher costs of maintenance and the conservation of the wide spectrum of assets that the urban fabric encompasses.

The historic core includes features and assets that should be managed wisely so as to maximise their economic potential. The qualities of historic cores calls for sensitive intervention based on integrated and sustainable principles.

In those circumstances, urban regeneration in the context of historic cores requires a proper understanding of the issues combined with creative approaches based on a mix of physical, economic, social, cultural and environmental initiatives, combined with holistic urban management. Some of the most effective regeneration results have been achieved through partnerships between public and private interests.