Five major regeneration schemes reshaping the UK

Across Britain, brownfield sites and neglected city centres are being transformed into vibrant new neighbourhoods. We’ve taken a closer look at five major regeneration projects across the UK. Regeneration in 2025 is less about just residential buildings and more about stitched together neighbourhoods.

Coventry

Friargate Coventry

Friargate Coventry is a long running mixed use masterplan located next to the station. Offices, hotels and up to 400 new homes are planned as part of a wider neighbourhood of commercial space and public realm.

The plans are being led by the Friargate partnership. This group includes Coventry City Council, Cannon Kirk Group, and West Midlands Combined Authority. Anchor occupiers are already in place, with Hotel Indigo opening in 2024.

Coventry City Centre South

Coventry City Centre South is a large southern quarter project which was approved in 2021. Demolition works are under way and main construction will follow later in 2025.

City Centre South’s outline planning permission allows for 991 new homes, of which 200 will be affordable. A cinema, hotel, restaurants and large civic public spaces are also part of the plans. The plans will transform underused post war blocks into a greener, mixed-use neighbourhood.

Early phases which include demolition and site clearance, began in 2025, with the first homes expected to follow. Hill Group and L&G have partnered to deliver the affordable homes, marking the first time the two have joined together on a project.

The project will deliver 17,000 sqm of green spaces plus biodiverse rooftops, new trees and hedges to improve ecology. Residents will also benefit from dedicated amenity space and children’s play areas. The scheme will achieve a 285% net biodiversity gain. The plans carefully chose materials to match the character of the Lower Precinct and to ensure visual continuity.



 


Liverpool

Liverpool Waters

Liverpool’s regeneration story centres on the Liverpool Waters masterplan, a decades long brownfield renaissance led by Peel Waters. Liverpool Waters stretches along the northern docks and is developing multiple neighbourhoods of commercial space, leisure and new homes.

Hundreds of new homes are already onsite. The Central Docks neighbourhood has infrastructure works scheduled to support a further approximately 2,350 homes. The programme is anchored by the new Everton stadium and other major civic investments on the waterfront.



 


The Baltic Triangle

The Baltic Triangle used to be an industrial dock area south of the city. Now, it is Liverpool’s creative and digital quarter. The area features new homes to rent, student accommodation and buy-to-let properties like One Baltic Square.

The planning framework anticipates a new station and public realm upgrades to connect the neighbourhood to the broader city. Recent approvals indicate hundreds more homes in that inner city zone.

For those who find the idea of waterfront living appealing, many new homes have river or dock views. Liverpool Waters has also invested in energy and climate smart infrastructure. District heating connections are already in use in some completed buildings.

Glasgow

Yorkhill Quay

Glasgow’s biggest new waterfront neighbourhood is Yorkhill Quay, part of the broader Glasgow Waters project. In mid 2024, Yorkhill Quay secured planning consent for approximately 1,100 new homes. These include a mix of private sale, build-to-rent, co-living and student accommodation.

Other features of the development include a 200 bed hotel, commercial floorspace and riverside public realm. The scheme is designed as a multi-phase waterside neighbourhood with promenades and leisure space along the Clyde.

Clyde Waterfront

Hawkins\Brown is leading the design proposals for the Clyde Waterfront & West End Innovation Quarter alongside Glasgow City Council. The project receives support from City Deal funding. The plans seek to remap the river edge into a continuous river park with new walkways, cycle routes, trees and upgraded quay walls.

The project aims are to:

• redevelop vacant and derelict sites for employment and housing purposes
• improve road networks to support future projects
• create new and enhanced pedestrian and cycle infrastructure, plus a proposed cross river connection between Govan and Partick
• improve the public realm particularly in Central Govan and Byres Road and at other locations along the river corridor

One specific aspect of the project includes Custom House Quay and Carlton Place. The project will see the embankment expanded by up to 20 metres to upgrade the quay walls. This will create spaces for a variety of uses, enhance the public realm and access along the waterfront. This will help to fulfil the city’s aspirations for a River Park.

Learn more about the City Deal Waterfront & West End Innovation Quarter plans

"Regeneration in 2025 is no longer focused solely on constructing residential buildings; it’s about creating well-connected, mixed-use neighbourhoods where homes, workplaces, public spaces and green infrastructure are carefully stitched together to support thriving, sustainable communities."

Cardiff

Central Square

Central Square is a major mixed-use district adjacent to Cardiff Central station by Rightacres, in partnership with investors.

Central Square has already delivered offices and build-to-rent housing, and more towers are in the pipeline. Plans for a 50 storey residential tower were submitted in August 2025. This was replacing a previous plan for a smaller tower with fewer homes.

The broader Central Square masterplan continues to add residential BTR capacity as part of a transit oriented quarter. Legal & General and other institutional investors have backed parts of the scheme.



 


Atlantic Wharf

Within Cardiff Bay, Atlantic Wharf is a 30 acre council led masterplan. Hybrid planning consent has been secured for an arena, hotels, offices and a later residential phase. The arena received its final go ahead in August 2025. Later phases will bring new homes, leisure and cultural space into the Bay.

Cardiff Council is driving the Atlantic Wharf masterplan in partnership with operators such as Live Nation for the arena.

Swansea

SA1

SA1 is an established mixed-use waterfront project with office, leisure and residential plans. Recent on site work has seen housing developers and social landlords begin construction.

Beacon (formerly Coastal Housing Group) started a 104 home waterfront scheme in late 2024. Pobl Group began a 43 home affordable housing programme in February 2025 as part of the ongoing SA1 rollout. The developers plan more than 2,000 apartments for the wider SA1 project.

Swansea Central

Swansea Central is a partnership with developers including RivingtonHark / Urban Splash and council investment via the City Deal. The plans include office space, public realm, and leisure facilities. The purpose is to create a city centre that supports the demand for new homes.

So far in 2025, Swansea Council has used grants for city centre housing conversions and affordable new build homes.