Transformative Change, Infrastructure, Housing and Transport Investment


Dr Eilya Torshizian

What Makes Urban Regeneration Transformative? Rethinking Appraisal Beyond

This forthcoming paper investigates the concept of “transformative change” in urban regeneration and the implications for how major place-based investments are appraised. While the term is widely used in policy discourse, there remains limited clarity on how transformational outcomes differ from marginal improvements, or how such effects should be recognised within standard economic evaluation frameworks.

The paper develops an applied framework for identifying necessary and sufficient conditions for transformative change, focusing on the interaction between land use, transport accessibility, housing, and wider infrastructure. It argues that regeneration outcomes are often non-linear and path-dependent, requiring coordinated investment across multiple domains rather than isolated project delivery. Traditional marginal appraisal approaches are shown to be insufficient for capturing these dynamics.

By grounding economic reasoning in real policy and planning contexts, the paper contributes to ongoing debates about how transport corridors, active mode investments, and regeneration programmes should be assessed when their intent is to alter long-term economic and social trajectories. The findings are intended to inform future business cases and appraisal guidance where equity, place outcomes, and long-run productivity are central considerations.