Towards sustainable regeneration: The evolution, logic, and implications of the UK's urban regeneration legislation

Urban regeneration, as a crucial strategy during China's stock transformation period, requires a comprehensive legislative framework to support its orderly implementation. The United Kingdom has developed a well-established urban regeneration system with extensive practical experience, which serves as a valuable reference. This study, framed within the context of historical institutionalism, examines the historical evolution of the UK's urban regeneration legal framework since the 1960s, analyzing the underlying structures, historical developments, and stakeholders' logics, based on primary data from official UK government sources. Ultimately, with a focus on China's development goals, this study proposes strategies to improve China's urban regeneration system: establishing a "core law+supplementary regulations" framework, incorporating equity and sustainable development into policy design, transitioning to a model of "proactive government with multi-stakeholder participation," and promoting community-centered, sustainable micro-regeneration. Compared to the UK, China exhibits unique characteristics in its institutions, public interests, and funding models. By assimilating international experiences, refining and innovating legislative frameworks tailored toward sustainable renewal holds significant implications.