Naslov
Abandonment as an opportunity for regeneration and development in local communities: Example of Kent County Council’s “No Use Empty” initiative (England, UK)

Autori
Lončar, Sanja

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Ocjenski radovi, diplomski rad, diplomski

Fakultet
Faculty of Technology, Design and Environment ; School of Architecture

Mjesto
Oxford, England (United Kingdom)

Datum
30.09

Godina
2016

Stranica
77

Mentor
Vellinga, Marcel

Ključne riječi
Abandonment; regeneration and development; local communities; No Use Empty; Kent (England; UK)

Sažetak
Areas with thousands of abandoned or empty buildings have appeared in recent decades across Europe and in the USA, causing significant impacts on the life of local communities in economic, socio-cultural, and environmental terms. Today, due to the economic and environmental crisis, policies and practices addressing this problem are becoming more important than ever. This dissertation attempts to explore how the problem of abandoned or empty properties can be effectively approached at the local level by developing policies and strategies, and involving different stakeholders. Using the example of the “No Use Empty” initiative devised by Kent County Council in England (UK), the dissertation explores an approach which has aimed to decrease the number of vacant buildings by investing in them and bringing them back into use. In doing so, the dissertation attempts to answer the following question – can effective and creative strategies for addressing the issue of a large number of abandoned or empty properties help to achieve (environmental, economic, and socio-cultural) regeneration and development in local communities? The main objectives are: to identify effective and creative strategies that stimulate the use of abandoned or empty buildings ; to identify their characteristics ; to explain how they evolve and are adapted to the local level ; to explain their structure, governance, financing, implementation, presentation, and perception. In order to answer the research question and objectives, the case study approach is used, and the dissertation is based on descriptive and comparative research of quantitative and qualitative secondary data. The data are interpreted using qualitative analysis methods – problem-solution discourse and discourse analysis. The analysis has shown that Kent County Council’s “No Use Empty” initiative has been a successful example of bringing abandoned and empty buildings back into use due to several important characteristics. The initiative developed a holistic and sustainable approach which has included research, strategic planning, ensuring finances, investment in social capital, development of networks and partnerships, and providing information and raising awareness about the issue. The initiative has had a positive impact not only on the built environment, but on a broader socio-cultural and environmental scale, and it has supported claims from the literature that addressing abandoned or empty properties could represent an opportunity to achieve regeneration and development in local communities.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Arhitektura i urbanizam

POVEZANOST RADA