A case study of the regeneration of the St Paul’s estate, Cheltenham: Working in partnership and engaging with the community to deliver improvements in a deprived area

Abstract

The importance of working in partnership and involving residents is a key learning point of the St Paul’s regeneration scheme. This case study shows that the social and environmental aspects of a crime-ridden area can be dramatically improved by involving residents in the design process and employing innovative design solutions. Readers will learn about the objectives for improving the fortunes of one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country. The case study describes how these objectives were met and exceeded to provide a scheme that has been highly commended by a number of national awards. It outlines the various measures of success for the area, which has seen improvements in house values and mixed tenures, together with reductions in void numbers and crime rates. It also explores the benefits of keeping a community intact during a major regeneration process.