The Effectiveness Of Urban Renewal Strategies In The Sydenham Road Are

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Identification of a Question
Sparkbrook is a typical inner city area of Birmingham; predominantly Victorian and Edwardian in character and its multi-cultural society live in a deprived district suffering from high unemployment and a generally poor quality environment. For such reasons it is part of a ‘regeneration’ scheme and this investigation will assess the success of this scheme.

Development of Strategy
The aim of the urban renewal programme is; to create sustainable structures of economic regeneration, to encourage business development and diversification, and to find solutions to serious social problems caused by the crisis situations that are common in many depressed urban areas. In order to assess the effectiveness of such plans both secondary – 1981 census detail, ward information and web sites, and primary data were collected. Unemployment levels, annual earning figures and the number of people that are employed in professional or managerial jobs are all great measures of the economical aspects. A marked positive alteration in these figures would indicate a success in the regeneration programme. Social aspects can be measured by reviewing crime rates, car ownership, private amenities and the property ownership - private or rented. The amount of pollution in the area, the aesthetic appreciation and housing density are all good measures of environmental aspects. Together the analysis of these three aspects and how they have altered since the programme has been introduced, should highlight the areas of success and failure thus showing the effectiveness of the scheme.

Collection of Data
The area of regeneration has undergone several changes in the past few years. For example a modern fitness centre had to be closed, as it was no longer financially viable, this is evidence that the local area is non-affluent as the people are unable to sustain a gym. In 1993 the aesthetic value of the area was heightened when the canal walk was opened. The linear areas along the canal are now going to be protected and enhanced. This is of great importance because the heavily built up character of Sparkbrook results in little space for recreational areas. A high percentage of the shops in Sparkbrook are closed and as the money available for housing improvements is strictly residential the shops that are present appear worn and in need of repair. The area also suffers from serious traffic congestion and so parking bays have been created along Fallows road, however the traffic still accumulates and when the stretch of road is clear it could encourage speeding as it is a stereotypical ‘rat run’.

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