APRIL 2011 Online 642 Geofile Paul Bennett Case Study of Urban Regeneration – the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham Regeneration within urban areas Figure 1: The spiral of decline in inner city areas in the United Kingdom has largely been confined to the centres (Central One or more Business Districts) and inner city economic activities Area becomes less areas which are located in a zone like a factory/s shut attractive for existing surrounding the CBD. Inner city down in an urban area economic activities as well areas saw very rapid growth as as possible new activities manufacturing and residential areas during the industrial revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries. Since Jobs are lost and Linked economic the mid 1970s some inner city areas people migrate away activities decline have become less popular as places from the area. to live and as locations for economic activities. Residents have moved out because of poor quality of life and unemployment. Factories have Fewer skilled Decreased demand for closed as a result of an increasingly jobs services like shops and entertainment, so these globalised economy which has Less money services close seen some types of manufacturing collected by local transferred to locations outside councils in taxes, the United Kingdom. Sites on the so less money to spend on improving edges of urban areas or close to The fabric and environment of the area the attractiveness decline, buildings become derelict motorway junctions have generally of the area. become more popular locations for manufacturing or new economic activities like superstores. As a result, some inner city areas have in communications; on social the north west of the centre of often experienced a spiral of decline improvement (eg improving Birmingham (Figure 2(a)), but (Figure 1). educational and training as Birmingham grew rapidly in opportunities) and finally on the 18th and 19th centuries as a National government and environmental improvements such manufacturing centre, bedrooms in as revitalising green spaces or by the houses in the Quarter were converted regeneration creation of new parks in urban areas. into workrooms, and then many The problems of inner city areas have buildings were converted fully to long been recognised and various Many urban areas, however, have manufacturing or were knocked groups have worked both separately not been targeted by the initiatives down and replaced by factory and in combination to try and outlined above, and in these areas buildings. As Birmingham boomed as ‘rebrand’ these areas by changing any regeneration has largely taken a manufacturing city, four groups of their image and by regenerating place as a result of the work of a industries developed: guns, jewellery, (renewing or revitalising) to reverse number of different interested toys and metal working. Some of the spiral of decline and to give players or stakeholders. These have these industries, like the manufacture them them a more sustainable and included organisations supported of jewellery and the making of prosperous future. In the last 30 years by national government, local guns, tended to locate in specific central government has introduced a government, non-governmental areas (Figure 2(a)). Manufacturing variety of schemes in specific parts of organisations like Friends Groups, industry continued to grow in the urban areas, such as: private organisations and individual 20th century, and new so-called residents. These groups can work ‘metal-bashing’ industries developed, • property-led regeneration through separately and in cooperation to bring some of which were also located in urban development corporations about regeneration both directly and the Jewellery Quarter, such as the • partnerships between local indirectly in an area. manufacture of washing machines. and national government and However the main manufacturing privately owned companies The Jewellery Quarter in industry in the area continued to • City Challenge projects be the making of gold and silver • flagship projects Birmingham jewellery. • sustainable communities One such inner city area where regeneration by a number of The Jewellery Quarter, as well as Such regeneration schemes have different groups or players has the rest of Birmingham, felt the full focused on the economy of the taken place is the Jewellery Quarter force of the decline of manufacturing area, largely by the creation of job in Birmingham. Originally, it was in Britain in the 1970s, with many opportunities or by improvements a wealthy residential area just to of the businesses making metal Geofile Online © Nelson Thornes 2011 April 2011 no.642 Case Study of Urban Regeneration – the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham Figure 2(a): The location of the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham; (b): the location of new developments in the Jewellery Quarter; (c): the pattern of land use in St Paul’s Square (a) Tame (b) N Valley Hylton N Tame Canal Street Valley Key Hill Cemetery Development Canal Not to To Station scale Wolverhampton Jewellery and Warstone Lane Cemetery Birmingham silver centre 1 Canal 2 The Big Peg Ladywood Boundary of the Midland Metro Sparkbrook Jewellery quarter (light railway) Selly Oak Sparkhill Site for Warwick and Golden Canal Bournville Birmingham Square Kings Canal Norton St. Paul’s Place St. Paul’s Square Worcester Birmingham To Snow Hill Canal Newhall Art gallery Clothes Station (c) Square Key Street Club Scheme To city Caroline Boundary of city N centre of Birmingham St. Paul’s Place Restaurant City centre 1 Jewellery quarter Not to Offices 2 Gunsmiths quarter scale b St. Paul’s Church Canals Pu and grounds b Railway and Metro line Pu Dentist Estate Agent Restaurant Key ) Jam Abbey Photographic Café House College Studio Apartments city centre Car To Shops Park Ludgate Hill Factories (to city centre Hairdressers products closing down leading to working in combination. One such encourage sustainable economic an increasing number of derelict example of this approach is the development. (Regional factories. A number of people left HyltonGeoFile Street Series Development 29 Issue 3 (Figure Development Agencies were the area as well. However the area 3).Fig The 642_02 location Mac/eps/illustrator of this development 11 s/s abolished by the Coalition was considered to have considerable is NELSONshown in THORNES Figure PUBLISHIN2(b). ThisG will Government in September 2010 potential for regeneration, because of involveArtist: the David spending Russell Illustration of £2.5 million and will be replaced by new its location within walking distance on the redevelopment of a Grade bodies called Local Enterprise of city centre offices and its unique 2 listed building in the Jewellery Partnerships. It is not yet mix of residential properties, small Quarter (to the left of the picture), to possible to say what effects that workshops and retail shops selling provide 13 living and working units might have on this development.) jewellery, clocks, watches and specifically created for jewellery • The Housing and Communities antiques. There are also offices and designers and manufacturers to Agency (HCA). This was a small entertainment/cultural zone rent. The properties will have set up by the government in containing bars, clubs, restaurants separate workshops and living December 2008. This Agency and art galleries. Figure 2(c) shows space, with between one and three has considerable powers and the pattern of mixed land use in St bedrooms. In the past it was felt that currently has a budget of £5 Paul’s Square, which is typical of graduate designers and potential billion annually. Its aims are the Jewellery Quarter as a whole and manufacturers of jewellery had to support the development of which makes it such a distinctive area. moved out of Birmingham because high-quality housing, improve Today there are approximately 700 of a lack of suitable and affordable the infrastructure of areas and jewellery-related businesses in the units to live and work in. This develop schemes for regeneration Quarter, 400 of which manufacture scheme hopes to reverse that trend. in England. jewellery, accounting for 25% of The project is being funded by a • Urban Living. This is one of Britain’s jewellery production. partnership of different government- nine Housing Market Renewal funded agencies and illustrates how Pathfinder organisations Regeneration through these can work together to bring set up and financed by the organisations supported by about regeneration in an area. These government’s Department agencies are: of Communities and Local central government – the Government to develop specific Hylton Street Development • Advantage West Midlands. localities. Urban Living covers This is one of the nine Regional parts of Birmingham and Regeneration in the Quarter has been Development Agencies Sandwell in the West Midlands. encouraged by central government- in England which used These organisations have a 15- funded organisations (public partners) government funds to try and year programme to improve Geofile Online © Nelson Thornes 2011 April 2011 no.642 Case Study of Urban Regeneration – the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham housing in neighbourhoods will look to achieve these aims will Regeneration through non- where there is a shortage of be through improved marketing of affordable housing. the area by: government organisations like Friends Groups As well, an organisation called • providing an information centre Midland Heart is also involved in • developing a website to attract There are few green spaces in the the Hylton Street development. visitors Quarter, two of the largest being Key This is a housing and regeneration • providing a tourism guide Hill and Warstone Lane Cemeteries group dating back to the 1920s • working with other agencies on (Figure 2(b)). Key Hill cemetery is which owns or manages 32,000 joint initiatives to liaise with a rare example of an early Victorian properties across the West TV and radio, hotels, conference garden cemetery. It was opened in Midlands. Its aim is to develop organisers and travel operators. 1836 in a former quarry and is the affordable rented housing.