The Government responded to MPs' criticisms of its lack of regeneration policy by saying true regeneration can only be achieved by creating the conditions for communities and businesses to thrive in, so that's why it axed the regional development agencies.
DCLG reacted rapidly to the Commons Communities and Local Government Committee report on regeneration with a statement. It attacked the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders programme which it said knocked down deprived neighbourhoods and left families trapped in abandoned streets.
"That's why the programme was swiftly halted and the balance of power shifted in favour of the communities themselves," said DCLG.
However, the Committee actually shared this view of the Pathfinders; it was the Government's failure to address their legacy it criticised. DCLG said funding would shortly be announced to help the worst-affected streets.
"But we know that true regeneration can only be achieved by creating the conditions for communities and businesses to thrive in," said the Department.
"That's why we have axed the regional development agencies and introduced business-led local enterprise partnerships and low tax, low regulation enterprise zones that are being planted across the country to give businesses the incentives they need to grow their local economy and create thousands of new jobs."
