Levelling up projects require long-term commitment

Dr Rob Richardson and Dr Olivier Sykes argue that urban regeneration takes time to plan and deliver, over periods that extend beyond one parliamentary term

The fact that the vast majority of levelling up projects are unfinished is disappointing, but not surprising (Most levelling up projects still unfinished years after funding allocate, 24 October). Trying to push through such top-down projects in unrealistic timescales, hoping for electoral rewards, was a characteristically misguided approach from Boris Johnson’s government. Decades of UK and EU policy experience show that urban regeneration takes time to plan and deliver, over periods that extend beyond one parliamentary term.

Recent research from the universities of Manchester, Liverpool and Salford engages with several local authorities in north-west England that are still committed to these projects. Our findings show that addressing regional inequalities requires stable, long-term funding, and targeted support for local capacity to deliver. One positive from levelling up was that many authorities began to rebuild some of the regeneration skills and capacity lost over a decade of austerity – although such gains were mitigated by the resources needed for competitive bidding, and uncertainty around the rules governing funding eligibility.

It is to be hoped that Andy Burnham’s government learns from this, and that local leaders and communities are given the stability and tools to deliver long-term regeneration where it is most needed. Dr Rob Richardson Lecturer in urban planning and placemaking, University of Manchester Dr Olivier Sykes Senior lecturer in European spatial planning, University of Liverpool