Urban Regeneration in the East of Manchester Essay

Urban Regeneration in the East of Manchester - Essay Example Introduction According to Cochrane (2006), urban regeneration is an important precondition for restructuring a local economy and to eliminate all forms of social exclusion. Many cities and towns all over the world face numerous issues and challenges in devising effective strategies and policies that can enhance and sustain economic development besides achieving better correlation between people’s needs and the opportunities generated due to this economic development. The evolution of electronic era has introduced an additional dimension into this complexity. There is a clear increase in the scope and speed of the changes required while there is also a need for new approaches to identify and mitigate all potential risks that may arise due to these dynamic processes. History After years of post-industrial era decline, the city of Manchester, especially the eastern parts, has witnessed some renewed economic growth which has been growing steadily alongside social issues like poverty and unemployment. Hebbert (2009) says that Manchester has the highest incidence of child poverty across the United Kingdom (UK) and stands at the third position in the list of cities with multiple deprivations. The fact that East Manchester has been experiencing rapid economic growth together with social degradation is threatening its long-term sustainability and economic growth. The Manchester City Council has identified ways such as investment in business opportunities, infrastructure development and home constructions to overcome this contrasting discrepancy. Carley (2007) says that the council also plans to utilize Information and Communication technologies (ICT) as part of its economic development framework to enhance the skills and competencies of local citizens and reduce unemployment. Most of these efforts have been based on a prior analysis of the local needs and aspirations of specific areas and a clear mapping between requirements and opportunities. One of the best examples of the City Council’s efforts in the urban regeneration of East Mancheste