Achieving urban regeneration without gentrification? Community enterprises and community assets in the UK

Abstract

ABSTRACT There is a long-standing debate regarding how far, if at all, urban regeneration can benefit existing residents, while the extent of gentrification is limited. Community management/ownership of assets, such as community centers or green spaces, by community enterprises (CEs) is one mechanism by which this could be achieved, by ensuring these remain in collective management/ownership. However, while research has explored the role of CEs and their assets within regeneration, further research is required regarding their role in gentrification. This article contributes to this gap, based on two in-depth case studies of CEs managing community centers in Bristol, England and Glasgow, Scotland. The methods included semi-structured interviews, a focus group and analysis of organizational and policy documents and neighborhood statistics. The findings indicate that, despite great efforts, CEs are currently unable to achieve their potential contribution to regeneration without gentrification, in the absence of greater public sector support. Nevertheless, I argue that urban scholars, policymakers and practitioners need to take greater consideration of the potential of community asset management/ownership as a mechanism for achieving more socially just regeneration, while the extent of gentrification is limited, and the support required to enable this.