People
£ 6bn North Manchester regeneration risks leaving older residents feeling‘ culturally displaced’
Major new study says older people must have a greater say in shaping the future of their communities
Large-scale regeneration schemes risk creating a sense of‘ cultural displacement’ among older residents unless existing communities are involved in shaping the neighbourhoods where they live, a report from The University of Manchester has suggested.
The researchers say regeneration must do more than build new homes and infrastructure, with investment also needed in the community centres, faith spaces, local shops and other places where existing residents form relationships and find support.
The warning comes from a new study examining the experiences of older people in North Manchester, where a series of regeneration projects worth billions of pounds are set to transform the area over the coming decades.
The research was carried out collaboratively with older residents who have typically been underrepresented in in both research and policy.
Some of the key questions posed by the research included:
• How are older people living in North Manchester affected by ongoing and forthcoming urban regeneration plans?
• What places and services are important to people living in North Manchester as they age?
• What are older residents’ views on proposed urban regeneration in North Manchester?
• How might future urban regeneration promote age-friendly neighbourhoods?
The research found that many older residents have a strong sense of belonging to their neighbourhoods and want to remain living there as they grow older. However, some fear that regeneration could lead to gentrification, rising housing costs and the loss of familiar community spaces, leaving existing residents excluded from the benefits of investment and creating divisions between communities.
The researchers say the findings have implications for regeneration projects across the UK, particularly as the population becomes older and more ethnically diverse.
Key findings
• Many older residents want to“ age in place” in the communities where they have built their lives, but many feel excluded from discussions about the future of their neighbourhoods.
• Residents expressed concerns that regeneration could lead to gentrification, exclusion and division, and questioned whether new homes and amenities would benefit existing communities.
• Community spaces, local shops and faith settings provide vital social infrastructure, helping older people maintain social connections and access informal support.
• Everyday encounters between people from different ethnic, cultural and generational
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