Innovation dynamics in regional policies for urban regeneration: experiences from Italy

ABSTRACT

The paper investigates urban regeneration processes in Italy by comparing large-scale and long-term experiences in Piedmont and Apulia regions, both involved in the promotion of innovative urban regeneration policies for some decades. The multi-level perspective approach is employed to analyse transitions and to identify key leverages and lock-in mechanisms. A core influencing factor on transition pathways in urban regeneration is found in the range of policy instruments employed by the regional governments, which are in turn influenced by existing regime features. -Based on research findings, some suggestions are given on how to improve the consolidation of innovative practices in urban regeneration.

KEYWORDS:

• Urban regeneration
• multi-level perspective
• innovation
• policy instrument mixes
• Italy

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the two anonymous reviewers for very detailed and helpful comments provided.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors’ Contribution

Angela Barbanente: Conceptualization, Apulia investigation, Writing - original draft (sect. 1, 2 and 4.2), Writing - review.

Nadia Caruso: Conceptualization, Piedmont investigation, Writing - original draft (sect. 1, 2 and 4.1), Writing – review.

Laura Grassini: Conceptualization, Methodology, Apulia Investigation, Writing - original draft (sect. 1, 3, 5 and 6), Writing - review & editing, Visualization.

Elena Pede: Conceptualization, Piedmont investigation, Writing - original draft (sect. 1, 2 and 4.1), Writing - review.

Notes

1. Integrated Intervention Programmes (Programmi integrati di intervento, PII, 1992), Urban Rehabilitation Programmes (Programmi di recupero urbano, PRU, 1993), Urban Renewal Programmes (Programmi di riqualificazione urbana, PRiU, 1994), Neighbourhood Contracts I and II (Contratti di Quartiere, CdQ, 1998 and 2003), Urban Renewal and Sustainable Development of Territories Programmes (Programmi di riqualificazione urbana e sviluppo sostenibile del territorio, PRUSST, 1998), Urban Italia (2000–2006). For a systematic analysis of the objectives, actors and spatial frameworks of the main programmes see Governa and Salone (2005, p. 275).

2. Vinci (2021, pp. 447–451) provides an up-to-date and detailed picture of these initiatives.

3. In 2019, official statistics reported 4,356,406 and 4,029,053 in Piedmont and Apulia respectively.

4. In Piedmont 19 PRU, 2 CdQ I and 19 CdQ II were implemented. Moreover, from 1996 to 1999, 16 regional urban regeneration programmes were promoted. For further details, see documents in the Appendix.

5. The city of Turin implemented: an Urban Pilot Project, an URBAN II project, 3 PRU, 2 CdQ, and several actions of local development and citizens’ participation.

6. See the Appendix for a list of the relevant calls and in-depth information on some programmes (LaPo Corep, 2004, 2010; Olagnero et al., 2004).

7. See the timely overlap between the urban developments promoted by the masterplan and the calls for urban regeneration programmes listed in the Appendix.

8. In the early 1990s PRU and PRiU involved few municipalities, mostly provincial capitals. Later, CdQ I involved two provincial capitals and two medium-sized towns, while CdQ II involved 15 medium-small towns and two provincial capitals. URBAN I was implemented only in three provincial capitals and URBAN II in a medium-sized town and in a provincial capital.

9. On the whole, PIRU were implemented through 89 projects covering 225 municipalities, while SISUS involved 185 municipalities, which submitted 89 projects in total.

10. The Priority Axis XII on Sustainable urban development integrates three ERDF Thematic Objectives (Sustainable Energy, Adaptation to climate change, Environmental protection) and the ESF Thematic Objective ‘Social inclusion’.

11. In the 2014–2020 programming period, each regeneration proposal had to allocate a minimum threshold of funds to the four Thematic Objectives of Axis XII on ‘Sustainable Urban Development’.

12. Launched in 2007, URBACT aims to enable cities to work together and develop solutions by networking, learning from one another’s experiences.