Bringing social sustainability into the mix: framing planning dilemmas in mixed-tenure regeneration

Figures & data

Table 1. Summary of regeneration requirements under the Parallel Society Act (PSA).

Launched in 2018 by the Danish Parliament, the PSA targets non-profit housing estates on the so-called ‘ghetto-list’: a ministerial shortlist of the most disadvantaged non-profit housing estates in Denmark based on five socio-economic statistical indicators including employment, education, income levels, crime levels and the share of 1st and 2nd generation immigrants among the tenants. Only estates housing 1,000 tenants or more appear on the list (Noring et al., 2020; TBST, 2019). After appearing on the list for a number of consecutive years, housing estates are required to put forward regeneration plans to reduce the share of so-called non-profit family housing units –in most cases comprising about 95 per cent (pct.) of the housing stock – to a maximum of 40 pct. The instruments made available include (Indenrigs- & Boligministeriet, 2021; Regeringen, 2018a; 2018b): Densifying estates with new-build private housing, Demolishing or selling non-profit family housing to private owners, Converting non-profit family housing into youth or senior housing, And/or densifying with other types of facilities such as retail, office buildings, public facilities etc. Regeneration plans must be approved by the Housing and Planning Authority (HPA). Should housing associations fail to submit approvable plans, city councils or (ultimately) the HPA are authorized to design and pass alternative regeneration plans (Regeringen, 2018b). Thus the PSA interferes with the self-governing nature of the Danish non-profit housing sector, which has traditionally been governed to a large extent by tenants through the so-called tenants’ democracy (Noring et al., 2020).

Table 2. Case-study site characteristics and regeneration targets.

Characteristics	Tingbjerg	Ringparken	Vollsmose	Gellerup-parken	Bispehaven
Constructed	1958–1972	1967–1972	1967–1981	1963–1969	1969–1973
Market conditions*	Favourable	Unfavourable	Unfavourable	Medium	Medium
Population, 2020	6290	1963	7259	4965	2216
No. of non-profit family housing units, 2010**	2404	868	2872	2400	871
Non-profit family housing units demolished or merged by 2030*** (Percentage of total units, 2030)	54 (1 pct)	149 (11 pct.)	1,000 (19 pct.)	945 (21 pct.)	318 (23 pct.)
Non-profit family housing units retained by 2030*** (Percentage of total units, 2030)	2234 (38 pct.)	520 (40 pct.)	1872 (35 pct.)	1455 (32 pct.)	553 (40 pct.)
Private housing units by 2030*** (Percentage of total units, 2030)	2196 (38 pct.)	364 (28 pct.)	1600 (30 pct.)	1344 (29 pct.)	230 (16 pct.)
Other types of units (youth, senior, commercial) by 2030*** (Percentage of total units, 2030)	1360 (23 pct.)	267 (21 pct.)	923 (17 pct.)	825 (18 pct.)	295 (21 pct.)

*Assessment based on estimated value of current non-profit housing stock (Copenhagen Economics, 2019).

** 2010 constitutes the PSA baseline year for tracking the share of non-profit family housing units. Source: Plans for regeneration, 2019. https://tbst.dk/da/Bolig/Lister/Publikationslisteside?type=Udviklingsplan (accessed September 2021).

*** According to PSA regeneration plans.

Table 3. Descriptions of case-study sites.

Tingbjerg, Copenhagen Situated in the northwestern outskirts of the city, Tingbjerg is the largest non-profit housing estate in Copenhagen. It mainly consists of three-storey, yellow-brick blocks. The estate is secluded from the surrounding cityscape by preserved green areas and a motorway. The regeneration plan for Tingbjerg includes doubling the number of housing units by adding 2,200 private units while largely avoiding demolitions. Private units are to be spatially integrated with existing non-profit housing blocks around shared courtyards and green spaces. Public investments in i.a. a culture centre, a school, day care facilities and infrastructural connections are supposed to support the transformation of the estate into an attractive neighbourhood.
Ringparken, Slagelse Ringparken, situated in the small provincial town of Slagelse, consists of 24 four-storey concrete blocks. When the PSA was launched in 2018, four blocks were immediately sold and converted into private rentals. The remaining housing stock will – according to plans – be transformed into mixed-tenure with new-build private units, retail, and retained non-profit housing units. Furthermore, regeneration plans aim to improve infrastructure and divide the estate into three smaller neighbourhoods.
Vollsmose, Odense Situated in Denmark’s third largest city, Odense, Vollsmose is Denmark’s largest non-profit housing estate. A section comprising about 80 pct. of the estate – mainly consisting of tower blocks and low-rises – was targeted by the PSA for regeneration. Plans include demolishing 1,000 non-profit housing units while adding 1,600 new-build private units as well as public workplaces. Furthermore, regeneration plans address the physical isolation of the estate by introducing a new light-rail train connection as well as downgrading some of the large roads that seclude the estate from the surrounding cityscape.
Bispehaven, Aarhus Comprising 19 concrete blocks of seven and four storeys, Bispehaven is located in the northwestern part of Aarhus, Denmark’s second largest city. The housing estate is bordered on two sides by large roads. On the south side, it borders a neighbourhood of single-family houses. The PSA regeneration plan targets a third of the non-profit housing units for demolition. In their place, new-build private units as well as cultural and sports facilities are to be constructed.
Gellerupparken, Aarhus Gellerupparken in the western outskirts of Aarhus originally consisted of 2,400 dwellings in eight and four storey concrete blocks. Regeneration plans predating the PSA were launched as early as 2010 but revised when the PSA was passed in 2018. Plans include demolishing more than 900 dwellings while adding 900 new-build private units clustered on three separate sites. Furthermore, the regeneration plans include new office buildings, a large park and sports facility, and new infrastructure including a six-storey golden gate cutting through one of the non-profit housing blocks and opening the estate up towards the city of Aarhus.

Note: All photos by Claus Bech-Danielsen.

Table 4. Participants in the study (N = 33).

Interviewees	Tingbjerg	Gellerup	Ringparken	Vollsmose	Bispehaven
Municipality urban strategists and planners	3	1	1	2	1
Housing association urban strategists and planners	1	2	1	3	3
Private investors / developers	1	1	1	N/A*	N/A*
External advisors (architects, landscape architects, urban planners)	1	2	2	1	1
Managers of ‘community work’ programmes	1	1	1	1	1

*At the time of data collection, no private investors or developers were in place in Vollsmose and Bispehaven.

Noring, L., Struthers, D., & Grydehøj, A. (2020). Governing and financing affordable housing at the intersection of the market and the state: Denmark's private non-profit housing system. Urban Research & Practice, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/17535069.2020.1798495

 Google Scholar

TBST (2019). Liste over ghettoområder pr. 1. december 2019 [List of ghetto areas per December 1 2019]. Danish Transport, Construction and Housing Authority. https://www.trm.dk/publikationer/2019/liste-over-ghettoomraader-pr-1-december-2019/

 Google Scholar

Indenrigs- & Boligministeriet. (2021). Redegørelse om parallelsamfund [Report on parallel societies]. Ministry of Housing and Internal Affairs. https://im.dk/publikationer/2021/jun/redegoerelse-om-parallelsamfund-2021

 Google Scholar

Regeringen. (2018a). Ét Danmark Uden Parallelsamfund. Ingen ghettoer i 2030 [One Denmark Without Parallel Societies]. https://www.regeringen.dk/media/4937/publikation_%C3%A9t-danmark-uden-parallelsamfund.pdf

 Google Scholar

Regeringen. (2018b). Aftale mellem regeringen (Venstre, Liberal Alliance og Det Konservative Folkeparti) og Socialdemokratiet, Dansk Folkeparti og Socialistisk Folkeparti om: Initiativer på boligområdet, der modvirker parallelsamfund [Agreement between the government (Venstre, Liberal Alliance and The Conservative People’s Party) and the Social Democrats, Danish People’s Party and the Socialist People’s Party about: Initiatives in the housing sector to counteract parallel societies]. https://www.regeringen.dk/aktuelt/publikationer-og-aftaletekster/aftale-om-initiativer-paa-boligomraadet-der-modvirker-parallelsamfund/

 Google Scholar

Copenhagen Economics. (2019). Analyse af boligsalg og -priser i hårde ghettoområder. [Analysis of real estate sales and prices in hard ghetto areas]. Danish Transport, Construction and Housing Authority. https://www.trm.dk/media/4634/analyse-af-boligsalg-og-priser-i-haarde-ghettoomraader_17012019_final-a.pdf

 Google Scholar