The Top 7 Urban Regeneration Areas in UK 2024

Key Urban Regeneration Projects:

• LiverpoolONE
• Knowledge Quarter
• Liverpool Waters

Where better to start on our list than perhaps one of the greatest urban regeneration success stories and top UK regeneration areas of the last century?

The European Capital of Culture in 2008, Liverpool regeneration has transformed the Merseyside city over the last two decades, thanks to billions of pounds pumped into the local economy.

With several iconic urban regeneration projects dotted across the metropolis valued at a whopping £14bn, Liverpool now sits as the top UK city for computer science research and is the second-fastest-growing digital cluster in the UK.

One of the best examples of inner-city regeneration, the North West city has played host to some of the UK’s most expansive (and expensive) regeneration schemes and regeneration projects.

Undoubtedly the best urban regeneration projects seen in Liverpool regeneration are:

1. LiverpoolONE  – A massive £960m outdoor shopping centre credited as the catalyst for further regeneration by attracting substantial private investment in Liverpool city centre.
2. Knowledge Quarter – A £2bn inner-city regeneration project that significantly improved education in Liverpool city centre. Thanks to the urban regen, the area is home to the Royal College of Physicians, three Liverpool universities, and more.
3. Liverpool Waters  – A £5.5bn inner-city regeneration project introducing five new neighbourhoods to Liverpool city centre.

Aside from Liverpool Waters, there is currently a tonne of ongoing Liverpool regeneration projects.

Ongoing urban regeneration examples in Liverpool include the development of the iconic Lime Street and The Strand, the expansion of the world-famous Anfield stadium, the new Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium, a £500m city-wide road improvement, and Ten Streets – a brand-new neighbourhood in the heart of the city.

If you’re a real estate investor and want to learn more about investing in Liverpool, be sure to check out our comprehensive Liverpool property investment  for the latest market analysis.

Key Urban Regeneration Projects:

• Thamesmead 
• Old Oak Common and Park Royal 
• Barking Riverside 

As the UK capital, London attracts some of the most significant urban regeneration in the UK.

With tonnes of regeneration areas in London and several iconic London regeneration projects, the city is no stranger to investment, with several massive London regeneration projects over the last 20 years.

With transformative London regeneration projects following the 2012 Olympics, the capital continues to flex its economic muscles.

A report from Knight Frank in 2019 found that London is the world’s number one spot for commercial real estate private investment, seeing around £16.2bn worth of investment – higher than Manhattan, Paris, and Hong Kong.

The best London regeneration areas are currently East London, West London, and North London, with many London regeneration projects in each area.

East London

Current work in London regeneration area East and South East London include:

• Thamesmead – A 30-year master plan looking to build 8,000 new homes and create 4,000 jobs. Further environmental development includes work to 5km of riverbank and 7km of canals.
• Barking Riverside – 10,000 new homes set to be built with the addition of seven brand-new schools.
• Canada Water – Work is ongoing to transform the area into a transport hub by extending the Jubilee Line by 2029.

West London

There are also several London regeneration schemes and London regeneration areas in the West of London.

• Old Oak Common and Park Royal – A £26 billion project set to create a new transport superhub and a new high street connecting the superhub to the £3bn Imperial College. The transport hub will act as the only HS2 and Crossrail interchange.

North London

Like the other London regeneration areas, there are plenty of London regeneration projects found in the North of London.

• Thameslink Station – A new transport link opened in Brent Cross in 2022 and offers trains to King’s Cross in 15 minutes. Also, 6,700 new homes are set to be created, with new restaurants, hotels, and cinemas.
• Meridian Water – A new 20-year regeneration masterplan for Upper Lee Valley, which will create 10,000 new homes; 40% of those are affordable housing. There’s also set to be new public spaces and community facilities.

If you want to learn more about London regeneration and if you should invest in the London property market in 2024, be sure to read our free 2024 London property investment guide.

Key projects:

• South Bank Leeds
• Leeds General Infirmary
• The Majestic

Another Northern place on this list, this Yorkshire city, will see some colossal regeneration schemes in the near future.

Leeds regeneration has helped propel the city into one of the most prevalent buy-to-let hotspots in the UK.

Currently, the city is one of the fastest-growing in the UK, with around 10% of those leaving London moving to Leeds.

There are currently several expansive urban regeneration projects in this UK city, with Leeds regeneration some of the biggest in the UK.

These Leeds regeneration examples include:

• South Bank Leeds – Over 250 hectares of land set to be regenerated south of the River Aire. The project will see 35,000 jobs and 8,000 new homes created, and will practically double the size of Leeds city centre.
• Leeds General Infirmary – A £450 million cash injection that will see two brand-new hospitals for adults and children. The project will introduce 92,000 sqm of health care space and is part of the NHS’ Hospitals of the Future Programme.
• The Majestic –  A new development offering 66,000 sq.ft. of Grade A office space located in City Square. The Majestic is the new home of Channel 4’s national headquarters.

There are plenty of urban regeneration projects currently ongoing in this Yorkshire city.

Significantly, transport links are set to see a significant overhaul with a much-needed revamp of Leeds City Station.

The project is predicted to cost over £3 million and will create new pedestrian areas.

Further regeneration is expected after Leeds City Council secured over £18 million from the Getting Building fund.

These projects include:

• An £8 million transformation of City Park
• A £7 million development of the Temple Green Park and Ride
• £2.6 million on the renovation of homes in the Holbeck area.

These are just some examples of the great work going on in Leeds, with the city quickly becoming one of the best UK regeneration areas for 2024.

Key projects:

• Heart of Slough
• Crossrail
• Slough Northern Expansion

One regeneration area in the south of the UK that has often gone under the radar is the town of Slough.

Located just outside of regeneration areas London, Slough has a bad reputation of being dull.

However, over the last decade, the area has been completely transformed through regeneration.

Not only has the Slough region become one of the top regeneration areas thanks to prolific regeneration projects, but the area has started to generate one of the strongest local economies in the UK.

The town is home to the largest concentration of global corporate headquarters outside of London. It also features the largest trading park in Europe.

While the town is already thriving, it’s set to soar to even higher heights thanks to various top regeneration projects in the UK.

Urban regeneration projects examples in Slough include:

• Heart of Slough – Part of the Slough Urban Renewal project, this £3bn urban regeneration project has helped rejuvenate several key landmarks, including The Curve and Queensmere shopping centre. The latter will see two million sq.ft. of office space and 500,000 sq.ft. of retail space.
• Crossrail – A £14.8bn railway project improving transport links in and out of central London, with new links connecting Slough to Heathrow Airport and Canary Wharf.
• Slough Northern Expansion – A significant urban redevelopment that will create 10,000 new homes.

While Slough may be the butt of the joke in Ricky Gervais’ The Office, it has quickly found its feet as one of the top UK regeneration areas.

After performing well and becoming one of the most exciting regeneration areas in the UK in 2022, this year is set to be an excellent time for Slough.

Be sure to read our Slough property investment guide for more information on real estate in this South-East town.

With so many areas being regenerated in the UK, it’s important to understand why regeneration is essential if you’re a property investor or a landlord.

Generally, regeneration makes a city more appealing to live in.

With the creation of new commercial space, new jobs can be offered.

Likewise, new transport links can make it easier to live in the location, and green spaces can make an area more appealing.

This can have a significant impact on the property market.

You only have to look at cities like Manchester to appreciate what regeneration can do to the property sector.

Official Land Registry figures show that Manchester property prices have grown by around 289% since 2003 – one of the highest growths of every major UK city.

This growth is a direct consequence of regeneration projects in the UK.

Investing in emerging locations set for a tonne of future regeneration can also make a lot of financial sense.

After all, buying in emerging economic areas means you can get prices considerably lower than the UK average.