Local experiences of urban sustainability: Researching Housing Market Renewal interventions in three English neighbourhoods

► Whether urban regeneration bears an effect on urban sustainability is an under-researched area, and little is known about these impacts at local level. This paper aims to extend these lines of inquiry. ► The UK's Housing Market Renewal Programme (2003-2011) is employed here as a 'test bed' to look at the impact of urban regeneration on local sustainability, but also as a territory to unearth new evidence. ► We examine a number of urban sustainability indicators in three neighbourhoods in Salford, Newcastle and Merseyside, all under Housing Market Renewal intervention; ca. 130 residents and 60 key actors were interviewed and a wide range of secondary data analysed. ► Urban regeneration has a differentiated effect on local sustainability indicators: some indicators go through a greater deal of positive change, while others witness little or no change. ► Urban regeneration has a clear positive effect on 'housing and built environment' indicators, a somewhat positive effect on those related to 'economy and jobs' and 'community', and an uncertain effect on 'use of resources', 'services and facilities' and 'governance' indicators.