‘Manchesterism’ goes national — what the rest of the UK can learn from northern regeneration

With Andy Burnham taking the helm in Downing Street, the concept of ‘Manchesterism’ has moved firmly into our national vocabulary. 

With his recent proposals to decentralise decision-making and implement ten-year infrastructure missions, regeneration is poised to occupy a more prominent position on the national political agenda than ever before.

However, the impact of regeneration schemes lasts far longer than the buzz of a new term — whether literal (in the case of ‘Manchesterism’) or political (in the case of our Prime Minister). The real task isn’t replicating the success of one city but examining how Manchester’s success can help to make other places work across the country for generations to come.

Here, Cherry Swift from our real estate team explores how place-led regeneration can create lasting prosperity and outlines the challenges that must be addressed to ensure that communities benefit.

Place over space: replicating the framework, not the city

If ‘Manchesterism’ is seen as an attempt to simply copy the city’s regeneration approach piece-by-piece, this would be a fundamental mistake. However, it clearly serves as an important illustration of a place-based framework that prioritises local identity.

True regeneration is never a one-size-fits-all policy. It’s about creating distinct destinations that fit the heritage, character and needs of the existing community while also developing a place or space that’s fit for the future. 

Altrincham — which we highlighted in our Making Places Work report earlier this year — is a perfect example. I lived there for almost a decade and watched a genuine transformation unfold. In under ten years, it shifted from having the highest high street vacancy rates in the country to being voted the UK’s best place to live.

This turnaround wasn’t accidental. It was initially unlocked by early 2010s infrastructure investments and a strategic approach to rejuvenating the town centre and opening up opportunities for development. Crucially, momentum was built by identifying a unique, historic asset in the heart of the town: the Market House. Transforming that single anchor asset created a powerful catalyst, drawing in local, passionate voices and triggering a positive domino effect for independent businesses across the high street.

We see similar dynamics across the region where unique sporting and cultural assets, including the Etihad Stadium in Manchester and Bramley Moore Dock in Liverpool, are leveraged as both commercial and community hubs. These projects succeed because they speak to a holistic vision for an entire local area — building-to-building, street-to-street and beyond. The very concept of a hub is vital: bringing people together but sitting at the heart of something bigger. 

Understanding barriers to improvement

An honest appraisal of northern regeneration requires us to look directly at the barriers and challenges that haven’t yet been solved. When delivery models don’t build in proactive safeguards, rapid urban renewal can inadvertently widen social divides and accelerate the risk of gentrification.

We explore this challenge in our Making Places Work report. In our assessment of the most improved places in the North of England over the last 25 years, we found that in many places where significant regeneration has taken place, housing has actually become more affordable. Yet while new wellness facilities, gyms and premium spaces within development schemes are intended to improve the wellbeing and connectivity of communities, they also risk targeting an affluent, incoming demographic, rather than existing communities. Without the engagement of existing social stakeholders, the identity of a place risks being diluted — or even lost all together. 

Through my roles as both a development lawyer and Pro Bono Manager, I’ve also witnessed how these changing landscapes can impact our essential grassroots organisations. As costs rise, local charities, non-profits and community groups are put under increased pressure. Space becomes a luxury that many can’t afford — and places suffer as a result.

It’s vital that these partners are engaged at the earliest possible opportunity in regeneration schemes to mitigate the risk of community displacement.

Aligning technical skills with regeneration delivery

To ensure that regeneration delivers inclusive prosperity, a priority for any administration must be fixing the link between development and education. Meaningful regeneration must create opportunities for a community, not just within it. 

We can look to international models like Germany's dual education system (Duale Ausbildung) that encourages vocational-led education with hands-on work experience for a blueprint on how to close this gap. There are also non-profit initiatives here in the UK like Regeneration Brainery and PLACED Academy — social enterprises that inspire young people to enter the property and built environment industries. 

By scaling up apprenticeships and building clear technical pathways from schools to employers, we can proactively address the severe labour and skills shortages currently facing the construction and development sectors while giving people a direct role in physically building and shaping the places that they live in. Communities can become active stakeholders in delivering masterplans rather than passive observers, giving a long-term sense of ownership and genuine employment opportunities that ensure that they remain rooted.

Maintaining a long-term vision

Ultimately, regeneration requires long-term commitment that outlasts short-term political cycles. The success of devolution across the North has demonstrated the power of strong, stable political leadership. Elected mayors — like Andy Burnham in his previous role — have provided the visibility and narrative to tell a region's story and act as a catalyst for investment, even when central government and its policies have been considered unclear and unstable.

However, if his approach is going to take hold on a national level, there will need to be a significant movement towards more decentralised decision-making and long-term frameworks for public-private collaboration — the type that ultimately formed the foundations of Greater Manchester’s success. We can’t simply try to create carbon copies of Manchester across the country. After all, as Tony Walsh says in his iconic poem about the city, “the Manchester way is to make it yourself”. 

Talk to us

Our full-service regeneration team works with developers, local authorities and investors on projects that help to make places work for the people who live, work and invest in them.

Our multidisciplinary experts advise on every stage of the regeneration lifecycle — from planning, development and construction through to housing, public procurement and long-term asset management. We help clients to bring complex projects to life while creating lasting social and economic value.

To discuss your regeneration aims and ambitions with us, email regeneration@brabners.com, call us on 0333 004 4488 or fill in our contact form.