ABSTRACT
Following public and press criticism about modernising urban planners and their unsympathetic removal/alteration and destruction of elements of the historic urban fabric, the collective endeavours agents of the state, developers and preservationists have formed collaborative ‘placemaking’ partnerships. It is certainly the case that conservation-led development has become prominent in both city centres. This chapter draws on the local narratives to explore current local feelings about the post-war buildings, the design and use of materials, before moving on to critically discuss local people’s feelings towards the latest waves of regeneration in Coventry and Birmingham and the role of personalised memory in shaping experiences of these cities.
