Viewpoint: Developers need to look beyond a building’s dilapidated facade

Nov 21 2007 by Peter Linford, Liverpool Daily Post

DURING the last decade or so, renovation, redevelopment and regeneration have become the “three Rs” integral to the future success of most UK cityscapes.

Urban renewal is being pushed to new levels as cities continue to evolve to boost their market appeal to attract new residents and public and private sector investment.

Liverpool has proved no exception to this rule, especially in the run-up to its Capital of Culture year. The city’s infrastructure and mix of inner-city buildings are undergoing wide-scale modernisation as the city strives to reinforce its global pull and position as a major UK metropolis.

As with any form of rapid and large-scale progression, lateral thinking can be compromised in favour of conforming to the norm. In the construction sector, where time is of the essence and delays can cost millions, it can appear more prudent for developers to stick to tried and tested methods of working. However, taking the time to consider a different approach to urban regeneration could have numerous financial and ecological benefits. It is just a case of identifying the grey area that lies between renovation and redevelopment. Most developers often draw a fine line between renovation and redevelopment. If an old building’s interior and/or exterior is in a salvageable condition, renovation techniques will be used. If a building is beyond repair, the building will be demolished to provide a blank canvas for redevelopment.

Although this sounds relatively simple, in reality, old, dilapidated buildings can hide structurally sound frameworks that can be used as a basis for regenerating an old building.

Utilising an existing framework can reduce overall development costs, planning application timescales, fuel and energy consumption during construction and product wastage.

It can cut the total development time period, minimising disruptions to business and the general public.

There’s an old adage – if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Taking heed of this could help promote greater development efficiency throughout the city.