Business improvement districts and conservation-led regeneration

Business improvement districts (BIDs) have now been established in Scotland, building on experience elsewhere including in England and Wales. It may be argued that BIDs can not only bring enhanced cleanliness, security and minor public realm improvements, but also contribute to more substantial strategic regeneration objectives, including those for the so-called conservation-led regeneration (CLR), particularly where synergies with other funding sources (via partnership) can be achieved. This article considers the extent to which BIDs in Scotland can contribute to such 'CLR', using case studies of Alloa and Inverness, where BID areas overlap with established conservation areas. These case studies suggest that, for BIDs to contribute effectively to CLR, there needs to be appropriate prioritization of activities including strategic components; commitment to, and capacity for, partnership working and integration of activities; and involvement of property owners.