The Effectiveness of Public-Private Sector Collaboration in Regenerating Historic Industrial Brownfield Sites Across Different Project Scales

Authors: Alexander Petrov

Abstract:

The regeneration of historic industrial brownfield sites is a multifaceted challenge at the intersection of urban planning, heritage conservation, and public-private collaboration. This research focuses on the influence of project scale -small versus large- on the dynamics of public-private sector interactions during brownfield regeneration processes. It seeks to provide actionable insights into how project scale affects negotiation dynamics, decision-making, and overall project outcomes. This research, part of an ongoing PhD project at the University of Liverpool, addresses the question: How does the influence of the public sector on the regeneration of historic industrial brownfield sites led by the private sector vary with the scale of the project, considering the decision-making behavior of both the public and private sectors? The central hypothesis posits that as project scale increases, private developers exhibit greater confidence in negotiations, leveraging the complexity, risk, and economic significance of large-scale projects to secure more favorable terms in collaboration with public authorities. The research employs a comparative case study approach, analyzing two projects in London and two in Liverpool, categorized by scale.

Keywords: Brownfield regeneration, public-private collaboration, industrial heritage, project scale