Community engagement in regeneration: are we getting the point?

This paper starts by identifying the intended benefits of community engagement in regeneration according to policy theory. It then adds to the evidence base by assessing to what extent these aims are being achieved through community engagement in the latest cycle of area regeneration in the city of Glasgow. It is based on a qualitative study of residents’ experiences and perceptions of the regeneration planning process in three neighbourhoods undergoing major regeneration. Up to the period beyond regeneration planning, and into the early stages of implementation, community engagement had made contributions to some of the identified aims. However, there were weaknesses in relation to community empowerment beyond regeneration, community cohesion and effective implementation in particular. A series of recommendations are made; of particular importance is the necessity to maintain community engagement throughout the regeneration process, between planning and implementation, in order to ensure that any benefits are sustained