The rebirth of Whitefield, in Nelson, Lancashire near Manchester, England

Role: Bruce Edgar - Senior Urban Designer, working with on the Whitefield Regeneration Planning Committee servicing Pendlebury Council, the local statutory Council. (2006 to 2009).

Company: The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment.

Project Description: The PFBE carried out an Enquiry by Design and produced a Masterplan for the town to guide future development. This process involved not only statutory authorities but also had a significant contribution by the local communities at a number of public workshops and meetings. The project involved working on the regeneration of an economically depressed, historic 19th century cotton producing town, with changing social and economic demographics. The town was very run down and the social structure had changed, with a large number of new migrants. The project work involved modifying and adapting existing buildings the requirements of the new users, which included combining in some cases blending two small houses into new larger 3 or 4 bedroom houses for larger or extend families. There were also project that look at making existing buildings more efficient. The meeting were tense and active affairs, but it was democracy and communal participation in practice.