This chapter outlines the changing contexts for urban regeneration since the end of the Second World War, with a particular focus on North West Europe. It highlights the different phases of urban regeneration since 1945 and the shifting contextual paradigms – both nationally and internationally. These include post-war reconstruction; urban renewal and ‘modernisation’ in the 1950s and 1960s; the boom in ‘property-led’ regeneration that followed the economic crises of the 1970s and 1980s; more ‘holistic’ approaches of the 1990s; urban renaissance; and the increasing integration of policies for urban regenera - tion and environmentally sustainable development in recent years. The chapter then discusses the shifting urban, governance and policy contexts, before concluding with some current issues.