By Tim Leunig & James Swaffield. Edited by Dr Oliver Marc Hartwich.

British towns and cities in receipt of substantial urban policy funding designed to bring them up to the economic standard nationally are, in fact, declining when judged by a whole range of indices. That is the worrying conclusion of Cities Limited which calls into question the value of the plethora of urban regeneration schemes delivered by a myriad of different agencies. Spending on the 14 core urban regeneration schemes in the last decade totals £30bn of public money.

“They persuasively argue that recent urban policy has had no real impact” – Professor Paul Cheshire, London School of Economics

“very convincing” –  Professor Iain McLean, Professor of Politics, Oxford University

“this pamphlet is one that regenerators might want to read – if only to fuel their worst nightmares” – Sir Peter Hall,  Bartlett Professor of Planning and Regeneration, University College London